Law Enforcement Explains Response To Protest

Sydney Martin was outside the Huntsville Police Department after working to learn how police thought Mondays protest went.

Dan, najahe- huntsville police and the madison county sheriff office's both told me today- they had to increase their presence in downtown huntsville last night- after some of the 700 hundred protesters that showed up refused to go home.

Sheriff kevin turner said they started the afternoon with 10 deputies and ended with about 60.

Huntsville police chief mark mcmurray didn't have an exact number of officers - but he told us he called in officers off duty and officers in early for their shift to help control the crowd- and keep people safe.

Huntsville police also shared with us that madison police helped answer calls in the city as they committed so many resources to the protest downtown.

I asked sheriff kevin turner how he thought the protest went-- take a listen to what he said.

"when you have that many officers engaging in a crowd that has that much tension and you don't have any type of altercation.

Physical altercation.

My guys, i'll give them an a all day long.

His guys were nothing but professional the entire day."

Both sheriff turner and chief mcmurray said they asked for more than an hour for the crowd to disperse after the planned protest was ended by organizers.

But said about one hundred and 70 people refused to go home..

After many warnings they used rubber bullets, pepper spray, smoke, bean bags, and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Both agencies tell me they don't plan to do anything different tomorrow- and hope the people in our community continue to peacefully protest.

Live in huntsville