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Phoenix Police Release Video Showing Protesters Throw Bottles, Gas Canisters At Officers

A still from a Phoenix police video
(Image courtesy of Phoenix Police Department)
A still from a Phoenix police video showing non-police gas containers behind police lines. Phoenix Police Department says they would have masks on if they deployed this gas.

Phoenix police released some video evidence they are using in their internal review of actions at the President Donald Trump's rally last week. 

"No singular perspective is all-inclusive. We get that," Phoenix Police Sgt. Jonathan Howard said before showing the video.

Howard provided commentary on a 13-minute compilation video that sourced footage from YouTube, news clips and police cameras.

The different angles help show where the problems began — and why police responded with dispersion tactics like tear gas.

The video shows a group with anti-fascist signs trying to break through a barrier after the president's rally ended. The police shot pepper balls on the ground to disperse that group.

Howard said this is when protesters began to throw things like full water bottles, shoes and flaming objects.

"[We] have not been able to identify what that object was, but it's very clear as you look at different levels of video that it is on fire when it is thrown at police," Howard said.

Police fired inert smoke at the crowd to disperse and became more defensive as protesters put on gas masks and refused to leave.

Multiple videos show gas canisters thrown behind police lines.

Howard said police did announce warnings, but not all protesters may have heard them.

"Making our announcements and the audible level of our announcements is certainly one of the things that we're looking at if we can do better next time," he said.

Multiple videos show gas canisters thrown behind police lines.

"We're doing our best to just sort through massive amounts. Today's the day we were able to get enough together where we felt comfortable that this was a reasonably accurate portrayal of one perspective," Howard said.

Police are still conducting an internal review of the events.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video was provided and made by the Phoenix Police Department. It contains language that may not be appropriate for all viewers.

 

Casey Kuhn was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2015 to 2019.