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Marchers Urge Change After Boulder Police Confrontation With Black Man

BOULDER, Colo. (AP/CBS4) - Protesters have called on the police department in Boulder to make sweeping changes after officers confronted a black man who was picking up trash in his yard. Hundreds of people marched Sunday to the Boulder Police Department, passing near the site where an officer detained 26-year-old Zayd Atkinson on March 1.

Zayd Atkinson
(credit: CBS)

The Daily Camera reports the Naropa University student, who attended the march, says the officer had called for backup when he continued working in the yard.

Zayd Atkinson (6)
(credit: Vanardo Merchant)

He says he believed he was going to be shot when an officer drew his gun.

Zayd Atkinson
(credit: CBS)

March organizer Nami Thompson and others called for the creation of a civilian oversight board to help prevent and mitigate conflicts with police.

"We're here for reasons that should be unacceptable," one protester told CBS4.

boulder march (1)
(credit: CBS)
boulder march (2)
(credit: CBS)

Boulder police are conducting an internal investigation into the confrontation.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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