Protesters shot fireworks toward the East Memphis, Tennessee, home of Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich on Saturday, blocked several streets with their vehicles, removed American flags from Weirich's front lawn, and set a U.S. flag on fire — and the whole Independence Day episode was documented on now-deleted video that a protester livestreamed on Facebook.
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
The protester who livestreamed the "F*** Yo Fourth" demonstration, Keedran Franklin, complained on video about Weirich's record and said she isn't fair to people of color compared to white people.
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Once protesters were gathered in front of Weirich's home, Franklin called for streets to be blocked off and said — apparently in reference to motorists — "They're gonna have to talk to our marshals if they wanna get by." A kid on a bicycle riding down the sidewalk was part of the scenery:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Franklin also yelled at nearby houses, "This is our street, motherf***er! Call the police! This is our street! For right now while we talk to Amy Weirich, this is our street! You either come and join us or go in the house!"
The protest seemed well organized, as a man dressed in an orange vest was seen speaking apparently into a walkie-talkie and trying to figure out "where we need the rest of the team."
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
The Commercial Appeal said protesters "set off about 10 small firecrackers outside the house" — but video caught them actually shooting fireworks toward Weirich's home, seemingly over the roof.
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Franklin ordered his comrades not to film the fireworks being shot toward the home and at one point in the video turned the camera away and said "video can make things look different."
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
"If Black Lives Matter, Amy Weirich, come outside!" protesters chanted.
One protester dressed in a red head covering got on a megaphone and told fellow protesters, "If y'all see me run, just get in the cars ... y'all know me: I love goin' up on cops and s**t, but I got fireworks in my hand!"
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Later she was seen apparently shooting fireworks toward the home:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Soon an American flag was on fire as protesters stood on the sidewalk:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
And video caught protesters shooting more fireworks at Weirich's home and also taking U.S. flags from her lawn:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
But when protesters apparently got word that police were on their way, they ran to their cars and took off:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Weirich did not come outside her home during the protest, the Commercial Appeal reported — but her neighbor did and appeared to give one protester a little talking-to:
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Here's a short clip of the nearly half-hour protest, taken from another angle, which also shows a pair of protesters shooting fireworks over Weirich's roof. (Content warning: Language):
The paper said it reached out to Weirich's office for comment but didn't say if there was a response.
More from the Commercial Appeal:
What are the details?
Several dozen protesters drove in a caravan of about 25 cars into Weirich's neighborhood, the Commercial Appeal reported, and called for Weirich to be fired around 5:30 p.m.
The protester who livestreamed the "F*** Yo Fourth" demonstration, Keedran Franklin, complained on video about Weirich's record and said she isn't fair to people of color compared to white people.
Once protesters were gathered in front of Weirich's home, Franklin called for streets to be blocked off and said — apparently in reference to motorists — "They're gonna have to talk to our marshals if they wanna get by." A kid on a bicycle riding down the sidewalk was part of the scenery:
Franklin also yelled at nearby houses, "This is our street, motherf***er! Call the police! This is our street! For right now while we talk to Amy Weirich, this is our street! You either come and join us or go in the house!"
The protest seemed well organized, as a man dressed in an orange vest was seen speaking apparently into a walkie-talkie and trying to figure out "where we need the rest of the team."
The Commercial Appeal said protesters "set off about 10 small firecrackers outside the house" — but video caught them actually shooting fireworks toward Weirich's home, seemingly over the roof.
Franklin ordered his comrades not to film the fireworks being shot toward the home and at one point in the video turned the camera away and said "video can make things look different."
"If Black Lives Matter, Amy Weirich, come outside!" protesters chanted.
One protester dressed in a red head covering got on a megaphone and told fellow protesters, "If y'all see me run, just get in the cars ... y'all know me: I love goin' up on cops and s**t, but I got fireworks in my hand!"
Later she was seen apparently shooting fireworks toward the home:
Soon an American flag was on fire as protesters stood on the sidewalk:
And video caught protesters shooting more fireworks at Weirich's home and also taking U.S. flags from her lawn:
But when protesters apparently got word that police were on their way, they ran to their cars and took off:
Weirich did not come outside her home during the protest, the Commercial Appeal reported — but her neighbor did and appeared to give one protester a little talking-to:
Here's a short clip of the nearly half-hour protest, taken from another angle, which also shows a pair of protesters shooting fireworks over Weirich's roof. (Content warning: Language):
Anything else?
The Commercial Appeal said the protesters also want people who have not been convicted of crimes released from jail due to COVID-19 risks — and for land to be returned to Chickasaw, Quapaw, Choctow, and Creek nations.The paper said it reached out to Weirich's office for comment but didn't say if there was a response.
More from the Commercial Appeal:
Weirich was re-elected in 2014 with 65% of the vote for an 8-year term set to expire in 2022.(H/T: KWAM Radio)
She has held the position since January 2011 when then-Gov. Bill Haslam appointed her as Shelby County's first female district attorney. She succeeded Bill Gibbons, who left to head the state Department of Safety.
During her tenure, she has come under fire for not filing any charges against officers who shot Martavious Banks and for a Harvard Law School project that ranked her highest in Tennessee for prosecutorial misconduct. At the time, Weirch refuted the findings of the study.
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