September 2020 | Vol. 17 Iss. 09
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FALLOUT FROM MILL HOLLOW PROTEST CONTINUES By Cassie Goff | c.goff@mycityjournals.com & Josh Wood | j.wood@mycityjournals.com
T
umultuous protests for racial justice and against police brutality have swept across the nation this summer and emerged in Cottonwood Heights on Aug. 2. The fallout from the march that began at Mill Hollow Park (2900 Hollow Mill Dr.) and turned violent in neighborhood streets continues, as do questions about where the city, police, and community go from here. On Aug. 2, Our Streets organized a dance protest as part of the many Dance Dance for Revolution protests beginning at Mill Hollow Park. Similar to many of the Dance Dance for Revolution events around the valley, the attendees planned to meet at Mill Hollow Park for dancing and food, then walk up a neighborhood street in dance protest. For this specific dance protest, the dancers planned to walk up the neighborhood where the son of a local family (Zane James) was shot and killed by a Cottonwood Heights police officer in 2018. Attendees, consisting of friends and family members of Zane James, residents outspoken against the Cottonwood Heights Police Department (CHPD), dance protestors against police brutality, and supporters of the Black Lives Matters movement, began walking and dancing up Hollow Mill Drive around 5 p.m. As a stark contrast to the generally quiet neighborhood, residents called the police with concerns of vulgar language, threats and property damage. “I was concerned about the safety of my family,” resident Brian Kasteler told the city council on Aug. 4. Resident Billy Bowthorpe echoed the sentiment, “I heard nothing but hate and foul language from the group that showed up.” CHPD officers responded to the calls and blocked the street which the dance protest was heading toward. Officers requested that the protesters continue along the sidewalk, but not in the street. Protesters told the officers that per state law, they were allowed to be on the public street with such a large gathering. About 20 minutes later, violence began to unfold
Cottonwood Heights residents demand justice for Zane James. (Cassie Goff/City Journals)
as protesters, officers and even a city councilwoman clashed. At least four protesters were forcibly arrested with pending (felony and misdemeanor) charges. “CHPD strongly reinforced why we were marching,” said dancer Weston Hall. “They came looking for a fight and they got one.” “The march is what community looked like,” said resident Emma Roberts. “We were exercising our rights. Your
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community was out there. (CHPD) are the ones that caused fear, I am disgusted by (their) actions.”
POLICE RESPONSE
The CHPD response to the peaceful protest has been scrutinized and will be the focus of multiple investigations. Some residents have been calling for all the charges against the protesters to be dropped. Continued page 15
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