Clean-Up Crews Gather Downtown After Protests Turn Violent
May 31, 2020, 6:50 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2023, 12:06 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — Dozens of volunteers and clean-up crews gathered at the Capitol building to assist in clean up efforts following protests that turned violent in downtown Salt Lake City Saturday afternoon.
Officers picked up the charred remains of a police vehicle set in flames, including a rifle that ended up cemented into the road.
“They said yesterday, this is our city. Why would you mess up your city? Why burn it down?” said KJ, a volunteer during the cleanup.
Clean-up crews power washed graffiti in the downtown area, cleared broken glass from the streets — including 14 windows at the City County building — while police assessed damages at the Public Safety building.
This is what #Utah is all about. 🙏@UTStateCapitol #TheBeehiveState @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/DBVMY8ixMk
— Garna Mejia (@GarnaMejiaKSL) May 31, 2020
KJ and Adrian Payeton were among a handful of volunteers to venture out and help crews at the Capitol.
“I wanted to start picking up trash, but I came out this morning and everything was pretty much picked up, so the only thing that was left was graffiti,” said Adrian.
The two joined in scrubbing and washing away the divisive words left behind by some protestors.
This is @slcpd’s house where the #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd protest began as a peaceful car caravan. An officer told me: For the most part when things escalated, you could see those who wanted to protest went to the Capitol, those wanting to incite riots stayed in downtown. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/xCOY2Bbl3N
— Garna Mejia (@GarnaMejiaKSL) May 31, 2020
“We gotta stand together. Yeah, Black Lives Matter, No Justice, No Peace, but graffiti damaging our capitol? We didn’t win in this, we didn’t prove nothing,” said KJ.
“The one bad cop action doesn’t go throughout the whole police force,” said Adrian.
KJ and Adrian said they want justice for men and women like George Floyd.
“I’m disgusted by it. Come on man, I mean, who wants to get a knee on their neck for nine minutes, be told multiple times they can’t breathe, make a plea for their mother, and then continue to tell them they can’t breathe?” said KJ. “Come on man, that’s disgusting. That’s murder.”
They said by coming together, we can all begin to heal.
So impressed by the hard work of these men & women. There is disappointment on their faces but they’re not complaining or defeated. Paint will come off, broken windows can be fixed. @KSL5TV #SaltLakeCity has one of the best crews. pic.twitter.com/NnAl1WlxQ7
— Garna Mejia (@GarnaMejiaKSL) May 31, 2020
“I feel really good, very empowered. I feel good helping out my community when it’s needed,” said Adrian.
There were reports that some professional clean-up crews refused payment.
Utah Highway Patrol said they will continue to enforce the curfew and will not permit visitors on the Capitol grounds.
Clean-up efforts also underway at @UTStateCapitol. I’m hearing crews have been working here since around midnight. It’s unfortunate that such an important message- #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd was muddled up by a few who chose destruction as their path of action. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/VqqG952DyU
— Garna Mejia (@GarnaMejiaKSL) May 31, 2020
