Louisville police said protesters, who have been marching against Breonna Taylor's death for more than 70 days, can no longer use public roads

Ashley Collman

A protester is seen being arrested in Louisville, Kentucky on August 9, 2020, after the public road ban went into effect. WHAS 11

The Louisville Metro Police Department said Sunday that protesters would no longer be allowed to march on public streets, and must stick to the sidewalks. 

A police spokesperson said the restrictions were in response to increasingly "aggressive behavior" by protesters over the past week. 

Protests have taken place in the Kentucky city every night for more than 70 days, in response to the police killing of Breonna Taylor in her home.

A handful of people were taken into custody for disorderly conduct and obstructing the roadway Sunday night after the new restrictions went into place.

Protesters said the police are trying to intimidate them into stopping their demonstrations, but said they would not stop until the three officers involved in Taylor's death are charged.
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Police in Louisville, Kentucky, have banned protesters from demonstrating in the streets, after more than 70 nights of consecutive protests over the police killing of local Black woman Breonna Taylor.

The Louisville Metro Police Department said Sunday that protesters would no longer be allowed to demonstrate in public streets, and must stick to the sidewalks.

Police spokesperson Jessie Halladay said this was because of "an increase in aggressive behavior over the past week," including the arrests of 12 protesters on Saturday who flipped tables and chairs while marching through the Fourth Street Live entertainment district, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
—Ben Tobin (@TobinBen) August 10, 2020

Some activists told the newspaper on Sunday that the new rules were meant as an "intimidation factor" against the movement.

They added they would continue to protest until the three officers involved in Taylor's killing were charged.

The ACLU of Kentucky told the Courier Journal that it has "serious concerns" about the police's "sudden decision to restrict protest activity" and would be keeping tabs on the LMPD's actions.

"Over the past months, we have seen a pattern of overblown and inappropriate reactions to a community that is rightfully upset with its government's delay in holding the police accountable," spokeswoman Amber Duke told the newspaper.

The protesters held a nightly demonstration as usual on Sunday night, after the new rules were announced.

—Senait Gebregiorgis (@SenaitTV) August 10, 2020
—Senait Gebregiorgis (@SenaitTV) August 9, 2020

They met at the Muhammad Ali Center and made their way to Jefferson Square Park.

This weekend's protests in Louisville was also attended by the father of Michael Brown, the 18-year-old Black man who was shot to death by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014.

According to WHAS 11, police used a bullhorn to warn protesters to keep off the streets and a handful of people were arrested and issued with citations for disorderly conduct and obstructing the roadway.