Timeline of Capital Boulevard protests

WHERE IT IS

>>> WE ARE PACING TOGETHER A

TIMELINE OF HOW RALEIGH POLICE

RESPONDED TO A PROTEST THAT

STARTED DOWNTOWN RALEIGH AND

MOVED ONTO CAPITOL BOULEVARD.

DEMONSTRATORS BLOCKED THE ROAD

AND SURROUNDED CARS DURING THE

AFTERNOON COMMUTE ON THURSDAY.

NOW WE ALONG WITH PEOPLE WHO

WERE STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC JAM

WANT TO KNOW WHY IT TOOK

OFFICERS MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR

TO STEP IN.

WRAL JOE FISHER SHOWS US HOW IT

ALL PLAYED OUT.

>> SKY 5 WAS OVERHEAD AT 5:49

ON THURSDAY NIGHT AS THEY BEGAN

BLOCKING THE BOULEVARD.

SURROUNDING THE BLUE CAR FOR

TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE DRIVER

TOOK OFF WITH THE PROTESTER

BANGING ON THE WINDSHIELD.

>> AFTER A WHILE, YEAH, I DID

GET A LITTLE SCARED.

>> Reporter: AND ALYSSA WAS

CAUGHT IN THE TRAFFIC JAM.

SHE WATCHED AS THE CROWD

STARTED TO CIRCLE THE RED CAR

WITH TWO PEOPLE TRAPPED INSIDE.

>> I WAS AFRAID TO GO AFTER

THAT.

AND OKAY, WHEN THEY FIRST GOT

THERE, THERE WAS A COP THERE

ALREADY AND HE WAS JUST

STANDING THERE, NOT DOING

ANYTHING.

>> Reporter: IN FACT IT TOOK

PEOPLE ABOUT 6:15, 27 MINUTES

TO GET ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE

SCENE.

IT TOOK ANOTHER TEN MINUTES AT

6:26 NOW FOR OFFICERS

TOAPPROACH THE CROWD.

>> IT'S IN VIOLATION OF THE

STATUE, SIX MINUTES

LATER,OFFICERS, THEY MADE THE

FIRST OF 20 ARRESTS.

RICK ARMSTRONG REPRESENTS THE

RALEIGH POLICE PROTECTIVE

ASSOCIATION.

>> AND THEY DIRECTED THE FILE

AND YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE

WERE THERE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

SHOULD TAKE ACTION.

AND THEY SHOULD DO THEIR JOBS.

>> Reporter: BUT THEY SAY

OFFICERS, THEY ARE HESITANT TO

MOVE IN TOO QUICKLY.

AND THAT WAS INTENSE SCRUTINY

FROM THE PUBLIC, AND RPD

LEADERSHIP.

>> TO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT

THEIR SAFETY, BUT TO WORRY

ABOUT WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION

IS GOING TO SUPPORT THEM.

>> AND HOURS EARLIER AROUND

NOON, SOME OF THE SAME

PROTESTERS BLOCKED IN FRONT OF

THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION, DESPITE

REPEATED WARNINGS TO CLOSE IN

2013.

MELVIN WAS ARRESTED.

AT 4:56 P.M.

A GROUP OF 20 PROTESTERS

CIRCLED THE SQUAD CAR WITH TWO

OFFICERS INSIDE.

20 MINUTES LATER THIS PROTESTER

WAS SEEN CLIMBING ON THE SUV.

SHE ASKED AN OFFICER STANDING

ACROSS THE STREET FOR HELP, BUT

SAYS THE HELP WAS DENIED.

>> I DO NOT WANT TO BE ENGAGING

IN FISTFIGHTS.

>> Reporter: AND RALEIGH POLICE

ARE INVESTIGATING THE PROTEST

IN ITS ENTIRETY, WRITING, "AS

THESE SITUATIONS ARE FLUID AND

PROTESTERS WILL CONTINUE TO

CHANGE THEIR STRATEGIES.

RPD OFFICERS ARE CONSTANTLY

EVALUATING AND RESPONDING AS

QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> AND DO YOU WISH POLICE MOVED

IN SOONER?

>> YES, I BELIEVE SO.

>> AND JOE FISHER, WRAL NEWS,