Santa Cruz Police Denounce Destructive Protest

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The Santa Cruz Police Department said violence and destruction will not be tolerated after a group of protesters caused vandalism and set fires in trash cans during a Wednesday night demonstration.

Police said the first protest on Wednesday began around 5:30 p.m. and drew about 6,000 peaceful protesters. Organizers had met with police and discussed plans for the event.

A second protest organized by University of California, Santa Cruz graduate students at 8 p.m. turned destructive, police said. A request for comment sent to the graduate students' union was not immediately returned.

A flyer for the students' protest called for the defunding of Santa Cruz police and reallocation of police funding to unspecified programs serving vulnerable community members. The flyer also referenced a moment during a Saturday protest in which Police Chief Andy Mills knelt alongside protesters and said students demanded police "stay out of Bay Area protests."

Protesters vandalized police headquarters, set fire to trash cans, damaged a business and tore down fencing near the Clock Tower, police said. Chief Mills and Mayor Justin Cummings tried to address the crowd to no avail, police said.

Police encouraged protesters to disperse if they encounter agitators and said officers will support peaceful protests.

"Santa Cruz is thankful for the peaceful protest that has been acknowledged and celebrated around the world," police said in the statement. "The men and women of the Santa Cruz Police Department condemn racial injustices and will always strive to deliver professional police services."