SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – Santa Fe Police have recently charged two people involved in toppling a controversial monument at the Santa Fe Plaza last month and another person today. Now, newly released police video shows the tense moments on that day.
Right when officers showed up at the plaza on Indigenous People’s Day last month, they were met with a lot of resistance from protestors. Video shows, the two people that have already been charged were front and center.
Santa Fe Police say Lily Schweitzer and Ryan Witt were charged with vandalizing the obelisk after it was torn down by protestors last month. As officers were trying to get a hold of Schweitzer and Witt, a group of other protestors surrounded the officers, leading to a scuffle.
The pair did their best to get officers to leave. It didn’t take long for the remaining officers to retreat and remove themselves from the plaza to prevent any additional confrontation.
Even as officers were leaving, the crowd continued to follow them back to their patrol cars, harassing them. A protestor was even heard yelling at officers to get new jobs.
Today, Santa Fe Police said they charged a third person for the vandalism, Dawn Furlong. All three are charged with criminal damage to property.
