Many around the world continue to protest against police brutality and racism, as well as for justice in the cases of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more Black lives killed by police.
But, as seen on social media, protestors have been met with more police brutality and arrests—largely unprovoked.
On June 9, the police arrested anti-racist activists in Santo Domingo as they protested at the capital’s central Independence Park. Among those arrested at the protest, labeled “A Flower for George Floyd,” were Reconoci.do coordinator Ana Maria Belique, protest organizer Maribel Núñez and Fernando Corona.
Reconoci.do (Red Común Nacional Organizada de Ciudadanos/as Domininicanos/as) is an organization that campaigns for social equality and citizenship rights for all Dominicans of Haitian descent.
Protestors were also met with Old Dominican Order (AOD), an ultra-nationalist organization—reportedly protected by the police—to prevent the demonstrations of solidarity and justice from extending past a certain point. According to local news, the AOD was “attacking and shouting racist insults” at Belique and Núñez before they were detained.
All three were reportedly mounted forcefully onto a riot squad vehicle. After audio of Belique denouncing the arrests spread across social media, various social sectors called for the release of the three. They were released hours later.