"YOU STARTED THIS SHIT!" — Soda Citizen - Photo Stories from the South

12:28 pm - Columbia, SC - Photos and words by Sean Rayford

“YOU STARTED THIS SHIT!” shouted a demonstrator as they retreated back towards the Assembly St. library on Sunday afternoon in Columbia, SC. Riot officers had just broken through a barrier and advanced on what appeared to be peaceful protestors. A melee ensued as tear gas floated over Hampton St. near the police headquarters in the Vista.

Around 2:45 pm a large group of demonstrators marched towards the police headquarters and was met by a phalanx of law enforcement wearing riot gear at the corner of Lincoln St. On the way through downtown the marchers often chanted the name of George Floyd, a black man recently killed by police officers in Minneapolis. Floyd was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill.

The march began at the statehouse and passed near Finlay Park and the governor’s mansion and back past the post office on Assembly St. Like many organic protest marches, each intersection presented new options for their route, and several times there was debate among marchers on where to go. Marches like these can often be led by whomever is willing to walk the fastest.

After reaching the line of law enforcement and more than four minutes after what appeared to be peaceful protests, police broke through the barriers and advanced onto the crowd. Chaos ensued. There is video of the encounter available below.

Below is video from Aaron Smalls that includes the melee on Hampton St.

Richland County Sheriff Dept Lies about Peaceful Protest from aaron on Vimeo.

Back at the statehouse, demonstrators had amassed and then began another organic march that snaked around the capital grounds, through The Vista and back to the statehouse where more conflict took place. Throughout the day, there was confusion among both law enforcement and demonstrators, on the existence and timing of a curfew - which caused anger and more confusion. At 6 pm police appeared to begin enforcing a curfew and arresting people for violations of such. At that point I had lost track of how many conflicting announcements were given concerning the curfew.

“You started this shit!”