Peaceful Protests Continue In Indianapolis Wednesday Night

Peaceful protests continued in Indianapolis Wednesday evening with groups marching to draw attention to systemic racism, health disparities and police brutality. Here's the latest:

8:20 p.m.

From Military Park the group of protesters marched on to Monument Circle.

A few hundred headed to the circle. pic.twitter.com/7hU4BkOgzg

— Jill Sheridan Poulos (@JillASheridan) June 4, 2020

8:00 p.m.

Protseters have marched to Military Park, where speakers read a list of demands of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in the Dresjean Reed case.  

Reed was shot to death while running from Indianapolis police on May 6. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears asked a county court to appoint an independent prosecutor to handle the investigation into Reed's death, but it has not yet happened. On Wednesday, attorneys representing the family said they are asking the federal government to investigate his death.

At Memorial Park where list of demands in Dreasjon Reed case read. Number one name the officer. pic.twitter.com/of1nsX1rCL

— Jill Sheridan Poulos (@JillASheridan) June 3, 2020

6:30 p.m.

A second, diverse group of about 200 is marching through the streets of downtown Indianapolis tonight, calling for an end to police brutality and racial injustice. The march stopped in front of Central Library with chants of "no justice, no peace."

No curfew tonight in Indy. Large group stops in front of Central Library. “No justice no peace”. pic.twitter.com/uhPhXENYBo

— Jill Sheridan Poulos (@JillASheridan) June 3, 2020

6:15 p.m.

Hundreds of people gathered near Eskanazi and Riley Children's hospitals in downtown Indianapolis Wednesday evening for the White Coats for Black Lives march. Health care providers say they are marching against systemic racism in health care, and health disparities -- calling it a “public health crisis.”

I’m at the White Coats for Black Lives march happening downtown. Well over 200 people here. @WFYINews pic.twitter.com/wABvuIaFpu

— Carter Barrett (@carter_barrett) June 3, 2020

The health disparities have been clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, where across the country African-Americans have died at a much higher rate than whites. In Marion County, black residents make up about 30 percent of the population, but are almost twice as likely to be hospitalized or die from the virus, compared to white residents.