KC Mayor Lucas: Violent section of protests are a 'distortion' of movement seeking change

Lucas said he will discuss tactics used by police with police chief in evolving conversation

CODY KANSAS CITY, MAYOR QUINTONLUCAS JOINED PROTESTERS ANDASKED EVERYBODY TO NOT LETVIOLENCE MODEL THEIR MESSAGE INCALLS FOR CHANGE.AND WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ANDBROADCAST LIVE THAT HAS NOTHAPPENED.MAYOR LUCAS JOINS US BY PHONE.WE SAW OBJECTS BEING THROWN ATPOLICE AND PEOPLE IN THE CROWNDAMAGED CARS AND SET FIRES, THISIS NOT WHAT YOU HAD HOPED FOR ORASK THE PUBLIC FOR.WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON WHAT WESAW?MAYOR LUCAS: WE SAW THROUGHOUTMOST OF SUNDAY AND I WAS THERETALKING TO PROTESTERS, SOMEPEOPLE ANGRY WITH ME, SOMEPEOPLE ANGRY WITH THE SYSTEMTHAT ALLOWS THINGS LIKE THEDEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD.AT THE CURFEW TIME I THINK THATWHAT WE SAW IS WHAT WE NEED TOTRY TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY MOVINGFORWARD.ABOUT 8:30 OR 9:00 THERE WAS ASMALLER GROUP THAT WAS HELL-BENTON CREATING MORE DISRUPTION INOUR COMMUNITY, IT WASFRUSTRATING.WE SAW SEVERAL CARS LIT UP ANDINCIDENTS WHERE THINGS WILLBEING THROWN AT JOURNALISTS ANDPOLICE AND FROM ALL OF THAT WESAW NOTHING PRODUCTIVE ABOUT THEMESSAGE ON HOW WE CAN CHANGE OURCITY OR COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPSFOR THE BETTER.THAT IS UNFORTUNATE ANDREGRETTABLE.TODAY IS A NEW DAY AND WE WILLCONTINUE TO TRY TO REMEMBER THELEGACY OF GEORGE FLOYD.CODY: WE WERE SHOWING VIDEO OFTHE TEAR GAS AND THE USE OF THECLOUDS, SOME PROTESTERS HAVECLAIMED IT IS ESCALATING THESITUATION.DO YOU AGREE WITH THE TACTICSYOU SAW POLICE USING?MAYOR LUCAS: I WILL SAY THIS, IREVIEW EVERYTHING.I WILL TALK TO THE POLICE CHIEFTODAY AND IN THE DAYS AHEAD.AND AS WE KNOW FROM OUR CHANGETO SATURDAY TO SUNDAY, WE HAD ALOT OF PEOPLE MARCHING IN THESTREETS AND ON SATURDAY FOLKSSAID THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY DIDNOT WANT.WE ADAPT POLICIES ANDCOMMUNICATE WITH THAT.BEING SURE --BEFORE MAKING A STATEMENT AS TORIGHT OR WRONG JUST BASED ONTWITTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.