Protests held Saturday in Omaha

EVENING IN SUPPORT OFTHE BLACK LIVESMATTER MOVEMENT.ABOUT 60 TO 70 PEOPLESHOWED UP.ORGANIZERS SAY THEREHAVEN'T BEEN MANYPROTESTS ON THE WESTSIDE OF TOWN ..WHICH IS WHY THEYCHOSE THAT AREA FORTHE PROTEST.ORGANIZERS SAYS THEYBEGAN PLANNING THEPROTEST BACK IN MAY.THEY SAY LEADERSFROM THE CULTXRHOUSE, YOUNGPROGRESSIVES OFNEBRASKA, PROBLAC ...AND THE NEBRASKA LEFTCOOALITION HELP THEMORGANIZE THE EVENT.ORGANIZERS ALSO TELLUS THEY LINED THESTREETS WITH THENAMES OF THOSEWHO'VE BEEN KILLED BYPOLICE ...AS WELL AS VICTIMS OFHATE CRIMES."WE DEFINITELYTHINK THAT THEREIS AMISCONCEPTIONTHAT OMAHA ISTHIS SUPER SAFECITY THAT RACIALTENSION IS KIND OFA THING OF THEPAST HERE BUT THEFACT IS THAT WELIVE IN ONE OF THEMOST SEGREGATEDCITIES IN AMERICA ..AND THAT POLICEBRUTALITY ISPRESENT HERE SOWE NEED THIS SIDEOF THE CITY--THEMOREPREDOMINATELYWHITE WEALTHIERSIDE OF THECITY--TO WAKE UPTO THOSE FACTSAND TO GETINVOLVED."ORGANIZERS ALSO SAYIT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TOUNDERSTAND THEHISTORY OF THE CITY'SRACIAL DIVIDE.THEY HOPE TO HAVEANOTHER EVENT IN THEFUTURE.THIS MORNING ...ANOTHER GROUP OFPROTESTERS GATHEREDTODAY ...THIS TIME ...OUTSIDE THE OMAHAPOLICE DEPARTMENT.DOZENS WROTE CHALKMESSAGES ON THESIDEWALK NEAR POLICEHEADQUARTERS,DOWNTOWN.WE SPOKE WITHORGANIZER ...MARK VONDRASEK ...WHO WAS ONE OF MANYARRESTED LAST WEEKNEAR THE FARNAMSTREET BRIDGE.HE SAYS TODAY'SPROTEST WAS IN DIRECTRESPONSE TO LASTWEEK'S EVENTS ...AS WELL AS A SOCIALMEDIA POST FROM ANOFFICER ...CALLING WATER-SALUABLE MESSAGE --LIKE CHALK -- "GRAFITI."VONDRASEK SAYSTODAY'S PROTEST WASALL ABOUT PEACEFULLYEXERCISING THEIR FIRSTAMENDMENT RIGHTS."AS LONG AS THEGOVERNMENTCONTINUES TOBEAT UPPROTESTERS--I'VEHAD FRIENDSTALKING ABOUTBRINGING SHIELDSTO THE NEXTPROTEST--PEOPLEARE ONLY GOINGTO RESPOND TOWHAT THE POLICEDO ..IF THE POLICE TREATUS NICELY ANDTHEY WORK HARDTO GUARANTEE OURFIRST AMENDEMENTRIGHTS THEN WE'LLSEE A PEACEFULPROCESS OFREFORMS IN THISCOUNTRY BUTOTHERWISE THEPOLICE WILL MAKETHINGS VIOLENT."VONDRASEK ALSO SAYSHE'D LIKE TO SEE MOREFUNDING FOR HOUSING,HEALTH AND EDUCATION...RATHER THANINCREASING POLICEBUDGETS.IT WAS A DAY OF