© 2024 Blue Ridge Public Radio
Blue Ridge Mountains banner background
Your source for information and inspiration in Western North Carolina.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Asheville Protests: A Week In Pictures

Starting Sunday May 31st, marchers in Asheville were in Pack Square each night for an entire week, calling for justice for George Floyd and other African Americans who have died at the hands of law enforcement in the U.S.  

During the first four nights, police used tear gas to disperse protests.  Most controversially on Tuesday, the night a citywide curfew went into effect, police destroyed supplies at a makeshift medic station for protesters.  City leaders and police chief David Zack eventually apologized two days later.  On Saturday, the curfew was lifted. 

Matt Bush joined Blue Ridge Public Radio as news director in August 2016. Excited at the opportunity the build up the news service for both stations as well as help launch BPR News, Matt made the jump to Western North Carolina from Washington D.C. For the 8 years prior to coming to Asheville, he worked at the NPR member station in the nation's capital as a reporter and anchor. Matt primarily covered the state of Maryland, including 6 years of covering the statehouse in Annapolis. Prior to that, he worked at WMAL in Washington and Metro Networks in Pittsburgh, the city he was born and raised in.