Houston protest for removal of Confederate statue proceeds peacefully

Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-20 11:52:57|Editor: Song Lifang

U.S.-HOUSTON-PROTEST

Demonstrators hold banners during a protest demanding the removal of a Confederate statue in Houston, the United States. on Aug. 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Scott Julian)

HOUSTON, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A protest for the removal of a Confederate statue on Saturday afternoon ended here peacefully thanks to the crowd control measures used by the Houston Police Department (HPD).

Hundreds of people attended the event, which lasted two and a half hours. The protesters marched along the streets of Houston, holding a slogan that read: "White people, what will we do today to end our legacy of violence?"

Black Lives Matter Houston organized the protest to call for the removal of the "Spirit of the Confederacy" statue in a Houston downtown park.

Houston Police Department (HPD) beefed up security measures to make sure the protest would proceed without causing any violations.

Police Chief Art Acevedo said on Friday that the violence that erupted last week in Charlottesville, Virginia, would't happen in Houston.

"We will not stand idly by watching anyone deface or destroy public property or private property, or attack and physically injure other individuals," he said.

Last weekend saw violent clashes between a number of white power protesters and counter protesters in Charlottesville in the U.S. state of Virginia. Fights broke out as white supremacist protesters clashed with counter protesters, leaving both sides bloody, bruised and battered.

Reports indicated that police were overwhelmed and backed off, leaving the two groups in a chaotic free-for-all. A car plowed into the counter protesters, sending bodies flying and killing a 32-year-old woman.

KEY WORDS: Houston
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