UPDATE: Video has been released of the emotional statements given by the Game and Snoop Dogg alongside Mayor Garcetti and Chief Beck.
Early this morning, rappers the Game and Snoop Dogg led a peaceful protest march through the streets of Los Angeles to the Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters. The march was timed to coincide with the graduation of the most recent class of police recruits, a ceremony attended by Mayor Eric Garcetti and featuring a public address by police chief Charlie Beck.
The protest, which organizers named Operation H.U.N.T. (standing for “Hate Us Not Today” and “Hunt Us Not Today”), was publicized early this morning when the Game issued a call to action on Instagram. In the post he called upon adult African American and Mexican American men in particular, as well as men of all races, to join in an unarmed, lawful march. He also specifically requested that women and children not be involved. Hundreds of men heeded the call and participated.
Upon arrival at the police headquarters, the marchers stood in silent observation around the graduation event. Snoop Dogg told CBS that they were there to create an open dialogue between communities of color and the police department.
At the graduation ceremony, coming less than 12 hours after news of events in Dallas, Chief Beck called upon the graduating LAPD officers, who sported mourning bands on their new uniforms, to find empathy for all of the people they police.
“You often will see people on the worst days of their lives,” he was quoted by NBC 4 as telling the recruits. “Try to look into people’s hearts. Help them.”
Today's protest followed a larger event in Los Angeles last night. As ABC 7 reports, hundreds of Black Lives Matter movement supporters showed up for a peaceful demonstration, which was held in solidarity with police brutality protests in cities across the country.