Politics
Wichita Eagle
Aerial drone footage of the barbecue in Wichita.
A planned Black Lives Matter protest turned into a mutual barbecue with police officers in Wichita, Kansas on Sunday, after a meeting with the police chief.
Protesters had planned a march earlier in the week, but after a hours-long meeting with Wichita police chief Gordon Ramsay, the protesters decided it would be better to have a joint-BBQ to open up communication and build trust in the community, reports The Wichita Eagle.
In a drone video, reporters from The Wichita Eagle captured images from a protest on Tuesday, as well as the more festive barbecue on Sunday.
Some of the attendees said it was the first time they had ever sat down with a police officer, according to the Eagle.
The officers welcomed the opportunity to address the community they serve directly.
"If you feel mistreated, I want to know about it," Ramsay told barbecue attendees. He also told the assembled crowd that every police officer would have a body camera, and that they will be able to look at the footage if they make complaints about officers.
"The community needs more people like you who can see the problems in wide open eyes," Lt. Travis Rakestraw told Ivan Ray, a Hispanic student at the University of Kansas, per The Eagle. "What should we do about it?"
Though some members of the community didn't hold back on the officers - one person asked if they were "being bought off with food," according to The Eagle - the atmosphere was generally positive.
See the video below for some scenes from Sunday: