A low-level explosive device that detonated in Lancaster this week has led authorities to urge residents to stay home and safe, as many are taking to the streets in solidarity of national protests against police brutality.
Unplanned, or quickly-assembled protests have continued to take place in central Pennsylvania cities, including in Lancaster.
Lancaster police are recommending extra precaution after finding two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the 100 block of North Prince Street early Tuesday morning. A low-level device also went off in the area, police said.
Authorities are also looking for a car that drove through a group of protesters on the first block of West Chestnut Street early Tuesday morning.
Others have threatened to set fire to the police station, courthouse and stores, police said. While none of that has happened, authorities believe agitators were scouting the area near for the police station to cause future damage.
“We are concerned about everyone’s safety,” said Jarrad Berkihiser, chief of the Lancaster Bureau of Police. “Do not threaten, promote or commit acts of violence because you will face arrest and charges.”
Berkihiser said residents should call the police if they notice suspicious people or packages.
Unplanned demonstrations were held outside Lancaster’s police station Monday and Tuesday, the police chief said.
The police chief said on Monday there’s “definite evidence” white nationalist groups were among those that protested over the weekend. “Caucasian individuals” threw rocks and bottles containing cayenne pepper at police, he said.
Police said that since Sunday, a handful of arrests have been made for minor offenses during the protests.
They’re also talking to witnesses and reviewing extensive video footage to try to identify agitators.
Officials said several Lancaster protests over the weekend drew crowds of up to about 1,000 and were largely peaceful.
“I want to thank the many in attendance who remain peaceful and want their voice to be heard. I want to thank the community leaders who have been working so hard on the ground to help organize and keep the demonstrations safe. I especially want to thank the many Bureau officers who have been working long hours, under stressful, emotional and difficult times to keep the area and people safe. Also our officers who had the forethought on their own to want to speak with members attending the demonstration yesterday,” Berkihiser said. “Opening up a dialogue is a beginning, humanizing each other is necessary for the conversation to advance.”
A number of protests broke out over the weekend for George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis who died on May 25 after a white police officer kept his knee on his neck for several minutes.
The four officers present while Floyd was taken into custody have since been fired, and the officer who knelt on Floyd was charged with murder.
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