INDIANAPOLIS — Mat Davis has been walking through the streets of Indianapolis behind a bullhorn and in front of crowds of protesters for nearly two weeks.
He got used to cars stopping for protesters, but that changed around 7:30 p.m. Monday on Monument Circle when the driver of a minivan was caught on video appearing to plow into protesters. The video does not show the moments leading up to the incident, and police are working through conflicting reports of what happened.
However, Davis believes it was intentional.
"'Minivan Karen' came through and was attacking protesters," Davis said using a slang term for an entitled middle-aged white woman. "If it wasn't motivated by hate, it was for sure bias and intentional and it was because we were protesting for the safety and quality of life for all Black lives.
Video from the scene showed the minivan driving through the Circle and hitting several protesters without stopping. Bystanders can be seen running after the van.
"Injured three people, cuts, bruises. It was bad. It felt like a (Charlottesville) moment, man. I was so scared," Davis said.
Chan Harris was participating in the protest with her 16-year-old daughter when she shot the video now being shared online.
"Like everything just happened, boom, boom. Like it happened really fast," Harris said. "She somehow came around and just full-throttle. All gas, no brakes. Just running through the crowd."
Police told WRTV there are "conflicting accounts" of what occurred. IMPD said the woman immediately called 911 and is cooperating with the investigation. Mat Davis said the driver never stopped and he believes she should be charged with a hit-and-run.
"'Minivan Karen' didn't go to jail. 'Minivan Karen' didn't get charged. 'Minivan Karen' didn't get any consequences," Davis said. "Now, if that was 'Minivan Keisha,' she wouldn't have made it off the Circle."
