I was one of the women sitting on the bandstand.
The vigil was completely peaceful.
At one point we were told police had given permission for us to go onto the bandstand, which we did. Immediately the press rushed and shoved to be first on the bandstand. I reckon at least half the people who made it onto the bandstand were press, not protestors.
There were a handful of police on the bandstand, who were making demeaning and hostile comments towards us, which caused some of the protestors to be mouthy back. No one was abusive or threatening, just responding verbally to the police's comments.
The police formed a human cordon across the entrances to the bandstand so no one else could enter, essentially trapping those already on the bandstand inside.
At this point they ordered us to leave but it was dangerous or difficult to obey their commands because of the thick wall of people.
The police were happy for the press to stay on the bandstand and did not ask press to leave.
The police singled out female protestors when it was male protestors who were being the loudest and most aggressive.
The police presence was unreal. A huge mob of police. A wall of police. I've never seen so many police in one area.
At least six police vans and one truck that had something army written on it (don't know what that was).
After the police roughed up and arrested a few women most of the police got in vans and left. Only a dozen police left who stood in a huddle some distance away.
All the remaining protestors walked back to the bandstand and lit candles and the police seemed completely happy to ignore and let it go since they'd achieved their goal of manhandling some women and putting on a show for the press.
Almost all the police left before the vigil had ended.