Supporters Of Takiyah Thompson Turn Themselves In To Police For Removing Confederate Statue
Neighbors, activists and supporters of Takiyah Thompson lined up to turn themselves in to police Thursday (Aug. 17) after the 22-year-old was charged with multiple felonies for taking down a confederate statue in North Carolina.
Slate reports the commendable act happened in Durham County this morning after it was announced the college student would face two felony and two misdemeanor charges related to Monday’s (Aug. 14) incident. Thompson was filmed placing a strap around the neck of the nearly century old statue as fellow protesters pulled it down.
The supporters were however, were blocked from entering the Durham Detention Center by police since they didn’t have arrest warrants.
WTVD adds seven others were arrested Wednesday (Aug. 16) to their connection in the dismantling of the statue. Thompson’s peers Elena Everett, Raul Mauro Arce Jimenez, Aaron Alexander Caldwell, Taylor Alexander Jun Cook, Peter Gull Gilbert, Ngoc Loan Tran and Dante Emmanuel Strobino were slapped with a variety of charges including participation in a riot with property damage in excess of $1,500 and inciting a riot. Four were released on unsecured bonds.
“We’re going to fight to tear down white supremacists, to challenge the racist beliefs, to challenge the Sheriff’s,” Strobino said before his arrest.
Thompson and other members of the Communist-platform Workers World Party were protesting the violence that took place in Charlottesville over the weekend when a white supremacist drove his car into a group of protesters, killing Heather Heyer.
Candlelight vigils and memorials have been held in her honor and the two patrolmen who were also killed on Saturday (Aug. 12). A Change.org petition is demanding the Department of Justice to bring terrorism charges to James Alex Fields, the suspect in Heyer’s death.
Thompson was reportedly released from jail and will return to court on Wednesday.
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