Demonstrators take downtown Warsaw to peacefully protest

WARSAW, Ind.--  This evening many people took downtown Warsaw for the second time to peacefully protest after the death of George Floyd, the African-American male who was killed by a Minneapolis police officer.

On Saturday, demonstrators joined the rally at Central Park in Warsaw, and today close to 100 people gathered at the courthouse lawn, later chanting and marching with signs.

One of demonstrators at the protest, Deontee Smith said he wishes that all of the protests could be as peaceful nationwide.

“They’re giving people a voice and giving people a chance to be heard and to speak in front of their peers,” Smith said.

Instead of joining the protest in Warsaw on Saturday, Smith was in Fort Wayne and said that it was a completely different environment there, much tenser there with heavily armed police standing by just in case trouble occurred.

“It’s just such a different environment here than it is in other places strictly because there isn’t armed guards standing watching over everybody. They’re giving them a microphone and a megaphone and letting them sit on the lawn,” Smith said. “And here, you know, I don’t see very many police officers."

Before the protest came to an end, Kosciusko County Sheriff Kyle Dukes joined demonstrators in the lawn to show his support.

“I reassure you something... We are a team in Kosciusko County now, and we are working together with all police departments, the mayors... I extend that invitation to you come, come join and let’s work together," Dukes said.