Oregon cop filmed telling armed white supremacists to get inside building before they tear-gas Black Lives Matter protesters - before admitting he didn't want people to see him 'playing favorites'
- The shocking footage was filmed in front of the Glamour Salon in Salem, where members of alt-right group Patriot Prayer have been stationed
- Demonstrators have been peacefully protesting for several days in the city, following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor
- Agitators have attempted to disrupt many of the peaceful demonstrations in hopes of inciting violence
- In the brief clip, the officer can be heard calmly speaking to the group of men as he explains that they should head inside
- Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore shared that he had received an influx of calls and emails 'decrying the words that were spoken' by the officer
An Oregon police officer appeared to tell a group of armed white supremacists that they needed to get inside a building before officers tear-gassed Black Lives Matter protesters, telling them he didn't want people to see him 'playing favorites.'
The shocking footage was filmed in front of the Glamour Salon in Salem, where members of alt-right group Patriot Prayer have been stationed with other armed men since owner Lindsey Graham reopened against government orders for the pandemics.
Demonstrators have been peacefully protesting for several days in the city, following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police brutality. While most protesters have been peaceful, there have been agitators looking to incite violence and chaos.
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The shocking footage was filmed in front of the Glamour Salon in Salem, where members of alt-right group Patriot Prayer have been stationed
In the brief clip, the officer can be heard calmly speaking to the group of men as he explains that they should head inside.
'My command wanted me to come talk to you guys and request that you guys discreetly remain inside the building or your vehicles, somewhere where its not in violation,' the officer tells the group.
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'So we don't look like we are playing favorites.'
Joe Smothers, a Salem resident, filmed the back-and-forth on his livestream for the protests. An extended clip shows the officer telling the men about the escalating violence in the city: 'which we know did not involve you guys at all,' the Statesmen Journal reports.
Demonstrators have been peacefully protesting for several days in the city, following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor
In the brief clip, the officer can be heard calmly speaking to the group of men as he explains that they should head inside
In a video message to the city on Wednesday, Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore shared that he had received an influx of calls and emails 'decrying the words that were spoken' by the officer.
'The message we have received is a concern that we are treating people differently. For that, I tell you, I am sorry,' Moore said.
In a video message to the city on Wednesday, Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore shared that he had received an influx of calls and emails 'decrying the words that were spoken' by the officer
'Sorry that there is even a thought that this department would treat some different from others.'
Moore stressed that he personally knew the officer and claimed that the law enforcer had 'dedicated his life to this community.'
'The impact the interactions seen on the video had on our community, have been discussed with the officer,' Moore continued. 'Unfortunately, he had not been fully briefed about enforcement of the curfew, before speaking with the group.
'Moving forward, all officers tasked with enforcing the curfew will be properly educated before deployment.'
Moore then appeared to support the officer's handling of the altercation, saying that cops 'police behaviors in situations, not individuals.'
He added: 'Lawfully armed individuals, violating a curfew, does differ in severity, from people throwing bricks and bottles during an otherwise peaceful demonstration.'
The police chief stressed that police would be acting 'without favoritism or bias.'
