ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) — Protesters gathered for the eighth straight day to demonstrate in Elizabeth City on Wednesday, defying an 8 p.m. curfew set Tuesday by officials.
For the second night in a row, the demonstrations ended in a standoff with police and several arrests.
Police Chief Eddie Buffaloe said Thursday morning nine people were arrested as a result of unlawful demonstrations. Seven were in the downtown area, and two were up around Route 17 and Route 158.
Wednesday’s protests started just hours after a judge ruled in Pasquotank County Superior Court that body camera footage from the fatal deputy-involved shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. last week would not be publicly released yet.
However, Brown’s immediate family will be allowed to view all footage from multiple body cameras within 10 days, which a family attorney called a “partial victory.”
Brown was shot April 21 as deputies from Pasquotank County attempted to serve a search warrant at a resident on Perry Street. Brown was shot while in his car.
Earlier Wednesday, after the judge’s ruling, area clergy and activists also gathered and marched through the streets of Elizabeth City.
BELOW: Watch footage from the march with faith leaders Wednesday.
Wednesday evening, several hundred people gathered to once more demonstrate in the streets and shut down roads and intersections.
There is currently an 8 p.m. curfew in place in Elizabeth City. Both the city and Pasquotank County also declared local states of emergency on Monday.
Protest organizer Kirk Rivers said he and several others met with the Elizabeth City mayor and city manager to ask why the 8 p.m. curfew was implemented when marches have been peaceful.
Rivers said he was told Elizabeth City police have intelligence that having the curfew was the best way to keep people safe.
The intersection of Route 17 north and U.S. 158 near Morgan’s Corner was also closed by protesters for a couple hours Tuesday night until about 8 p.m., causing several miles of traffic back-ups.
At 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Elizabeth City police said that a warning for impeding traffic had been issued at by North Carolina State Highway Patrol. The crowd of about 30 people was located at Route 17 north and U.S. 158 near Morgan’s Corner at that time.
A five-minute warning for impeding traffic was issued at 7:22 p.m. by state highway patrol. At that time, a crowd of about 20 people was still in the intersection.
By 8 p.m. when the curfew went into effect, protesters had moved downtown and gathered around the sheriff’s office. A representative who said he was from the ACLU was giving out a phone number for people to call if they are arrested.
Several people could be seen outside the Pasquotank County magistrate’s office waiting for those who had been at the protest at Route 17 and 158. WAVY’s Brett Hall reported that he was told several people were arrested at that location.
More than 100 protesters also moved on to shut down the bridge to Camden County once more, something that’s been done frequently during protests.
There were about 25 people remaining at Elizabeth Street and Water Street — where protesters ended up Tuesday night when seven people were arrested for violating curfew — by 10:45 p.m.
At 10:35 p.m., Elizabeth City police announced they would be making arrests following the final warning about violation of curfew.
By 11:15 p.m., several people had been arrested, WAVY’s Brett Hall reported.
Elizabeth City police said the roadway had reopened and protesters had dispersed by 11:30 p.m.