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DALLAS - A community activist disrupted the Dallas City Council meeting twice on Wednesday before he was arrested for a completely different reason.
Dominique Alexander was taken away in a police van for 10 outstanding warrants. Alexander is the man who organized the police protest on July 7 which ended with five officers dead in an ambush attack. His organization was not connected to the attack.
Dallas police say Alexander was arrested for nine warrants out of the Dallas Police Department totaling $5,000 and one warrant out of the Collin County Sheriffs' Office totaling $367. Police did not specify what the warrants were for, but sources say they were all for traffic violations.
But since then, Alexander has continued protesting police tactics and had another event planned for Wednesday evening in downtown Dallas.
Chief David Brown asked to not hold the protest, but Alexander refused. Hours later on Wednesday afternoon, Alexander was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Members of Next Generation Action Network got booted twice from city council chambers for being disruptive. Alexander said before his arrest that he tried to meet Chief Brown halfway by offering to just rally and not to march, but said Brown wouldn't give in and cited officer safety.
The group said it refuses to stop protesting until their demands are met.
“We’re asking them to review the department’s use of force policies, review their community policing policies and require police officers to undergo consistent racial bias training within their police department,” Alexander said.
The group also said it wants to see more minorities hired by police and more training for officers and firefighters who respond to mental health calls.
Over the past three years, Chief Brown has made well-publicized changes that include an emphasis on community policing and de-escalation techniques. Brown points to a significant drop in excessive force complaints and officer-involved shootings as evidence his plan is working.
The council allowed several members of NGAN to speak during Wednesday morning’s meeting, but cut Alexander off because there was only enough scheduled time for five speakers. He reportedly caused a scene and was escorted out of the room.
“When are you going to meet with us?” Alexander asked Mayor Mike Rawlings, who told him to schedule a meeting with his office. “We’re going to keep on hearing this, right?
The group held a sit in on the fifth floor of the Dallas City Hall building so the mayor and council members would have to pass them as they left the building. A few council members did stop for a few minutes to listen to the group's demands but weren't ready to offer their opinions.
The Next Generation Network still held a protest Wednesday, despite Alexander’s arrest.
Demonstrators marched through the streets of downtown Dallas to the Lew Sterrett Justice Center where they then demanded Alexander be released.
Protestors gathered at the Main Street Garden Park. After a brief rally, they began marching through downtown and stayed on the sidewalk, chanting, "No justice, No peace."
Once they got to the jail, protestors were met by Dallas County Sheriff’s Deputies lined up out front. Protestors demanded Alexander be released and to go inside to see him.
Ultimately, Alexander’s attorney was let in. The march marked the end to a very eventful day.