Protesters hold signs and chant “say his name” at a line of police on I st. NW. (Photo: Kaylee C. Greenlee, Daily Caller News Foundation)

Police efforts to contain the protests were organized, and they employed similar tactics to deescalate the scenes behind Lafayette Square, where chaos and defacing of monuments had taken place on previous nights.

Two male protesters confront an African-American officer who had to be replaced in the line. (Photo: Kaylee C. Greenlee, Daily Caller News Foundation)

Behind Lafayette Square, officers moved protesters West down I Street, telling them to “move back” until another line of officers rushed in and boxed the protesters in. They restrained activists on the ground until vans arrived with boxes of paper documents.

When the DCNF arrived on scene at 15th St. NW and Swann St. NW, officers already had the activists boxed in. One male protester attempted to jump over the police line, and was quickly taken into custody by officers. Similar police vans full of papers arrived at the scene and shortly after police began to take protesters into custody, zip tying their wrists instead of using handcuffs.

An officer told the people on the opposite side of the police line that all protesters would be booked and summoned to appear in court at a later date unless they had an outstanding warrant for their arrest, or had committed a felony. None were immediately seen being taken to jail.