The national group behind the “No Kings” protests says it is no longer affiliated with the organizers of Salt Lake City’s demonstration after Saturday’s deadly shooting.
Emphasizing their decentralized nature, the 50501 Movement said on social media that “every action organized under the 50501 name is expected to uphold a strict no-weapons policy, without exception.” The group went on to say that, “Based on the information currently available, it appears that the events in Utah by Salt Lake City 50501 did not meet those standards.”
An armed “security volunteer” at the June 14 downtown protest fatally shot bystander Arthur “Afa” Folasa Ah Loo inadvertently. According to a police affidavit, the self-described “peacekeeper” fired three shots at Arturo Gamboa, who was carrying an AR-15-style rifle, and whom the volunteer perceived as a threat. Both Gamboa and Ah Loo were struck.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Gamboa is in police custody, and the volunteers are cooperating, according to the police. Part of the investigation is whether the volunteers were justified in their use of force.
Even though Utah law allows for the open carry of firearms, and 50501 acknowledged “this reality shaped some of the events that unfolded,” the group said the presence of weapons contradicts their “nonnegotiable values.”
“We feel deep anguish that harm unfolded in a space connected to our name and vision,” their post read.
The group also apologized for the early statements it made in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that were inaccurate. Those statements have since been removed from social media, and they’ve committed to “amend any misstatements as facts emerge.”
Read more: Salt Lake DA files a hold on Arturo Gamboa as No Kings shooting investigation continues
