At Friday’s George Floyd protest in Bakersfield, a man driving a car drove through the crowd and hit a woman. The man attempted to escape Bakersfield Police officers; however, he was arrested.
The scene became hostile when a man driving a small Toyota vehicle — with a small American flag flying outside a window — drove aggressively through the crowd of protesters several times before a BPD patrol vehicle attempted to stop the man from driving the vehicle through the crowd again.
As the protesters rushed toward where the vehicle had been stopped and surrounded the vehicle, the driver accelerated into the large crowd of protesters, injuring one woman.
BPD officers deployed in riot gear, along with a SWAT vehicle and SWAT personnel. A SWAT officer told the crowd of protesters they were there to secure the area so an ambulance crew could give medical aid to the woman, who had been injured.
The woman was taken for medical aid by ambulance, and the BPD officers retreated back onto the grounds of the Bakersfield Police Department as protesters angrily followed them to the gate.
A similar incident took place at a George Floyd solidarity protest in Visalia on Saturday. The driver of a blue Jeep carrying American and President Donald Trump Keeping America Great flags hit two women at the protest, according to the Visalia Times Delta.
Community members from the ACT for Women and Girls are urging Visalia law enforcement to take action against the driver. The group is demanding Tulare County denounce white supremacy; the district attorney arrest, press charges and persecute the three individuals in the jeep; a third party independent investigation; and de-funding and abolishing the police sate and prisons.
Photojournalist Henry A. Barrios captured the Bakersfield incident in a series of photos. (Read the captions to follow the story.)
Before the man drove aggressively through a crowd of protesters, he drives in circles at the intersection of Eye Street and Truxtun Avenue. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA man who drove aggressively through a crowd of protesters drives at Eye Street and Truxtun Avenue, drawing attention from some in the crowd. He would eventually hit a young woman as he attempts to escape a BPD vehicle. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA Bakersfield Police Department vehicle comes up on a vehicle that was being driven aggressively through the crowd of protesters. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA driver of a small Toyota narrowly misses many protesters but hits one you woman as he drives aggressively through the crowd while attempting to escape a BPD vehicle that had tried to stop him. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA young woman is helped after being hit by a man driving aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield. She was later given medical aid and taken to a hospital. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA man driving aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield nearly hit several people participating in the protest. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsBPD officers are deployed to the scene to help the woman. The scene became hostile when a man, driving a small Toyota vehicle with a small American flag flying outside his car window, drove aggressively through the crowd of protesters several times before a BPD patrol vehicle attempted to stop the man from driving the vehicle through the crowd again. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA SWAT team deploys to form a perimeter around a young woman who had been hit by a vehicle. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA young woman is given medical aid after she was hit by a man driving vehicle aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA SWAT team member explains to a woman where the victim will be taken for medical aid. The victim was hit by a man driving aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA young woman is given medical aid and is taken to the hospital after being hit by a man driving aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsBPD officers and protestors come face to face after officers and a SWAT team were deployed to form a perimeter around a young woman who had been hit by a vehicle by a man driving aggressively through the crowd, trying to escape a BPD vehiclethat had tried to stop him. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsBPD officers are deployed to form a parameter around a young woman that was hit by a man driving aggressively. Protesters confronted to BPD officers as rage from the death of George Floyd, African American man who died while in-custody of the Minneapolis Minnesota Police Department, causes tension throughout the country including Bakersfield. George Floyd died while in-custody of the Minneapolis Minnesota Police Department. People have protested the death of the African American man throughout the country including in Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsA young woman is given medical aid and is taken to the hospital after being hit by a man driving aggressively through a protest in Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsProtesters yell at BPD officers after the officers return to the BPD grounds. BPD officers, along with a SWAT team, are deployed to form a perimeter around a young woman who had been hit by a vehicle by a man driving aggressively through the crowd. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsBPD officers retreat as people appear filled with rage. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsPeople appear to be filled with rage, as hundreds of people protested the death of George Floyd Friday, May 29, 2020, in front of the Bakersfield Police Department in downtown Bakersfield. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol News“Hands up, don’t shoot,” was the chant as armed officers watched over protesters from a Bakersfield City building across from the BPD. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsPolice officers station on top of the Bakersfield city building across from the BPD on Truxtun Avenue and watch over a large group of protesters. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol NewsAn American flag, which was flying from a car window of a man who drove aggressively through a crowd of protesters and hit a young woman, is burned by a protester. Photos by Henry A. Barrios for Kern Sol News
