INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) — The repair and cleanup bills from two nights of violence are adding up for downtown businesses. Downtown Indy is putting the numbers together. It counts 121 buildings damaged. Estimates repairs of $600,000. Downtown Indy believes all the bill will total millions of dollars.
While downtown slowly came back to life Monday, volunteers were scrubbing away at the mess vandals left behind.
"We are just trying to get graffiti off the wall because it's not right," Vermont Johnson said.
He and other volunteers saw a lot go wrong. Two nights of violence disturbed the teenager.
"People just letting their anger out on the businesses that people worked so hard to build," Johnson said.
James Holder, another volunteer, said he hopes people remember the peaceful marches and speeches and the message of equality.
"We're humans too," he said. "We have the rights you all have. You can't treat us any different because we are a little darker than you."
Elijah Spells thought for a few seconds.
"It says that we want to see the world become better," he said. "I hope people listen and understand what we feel and how and what it makes us feel."
All the volunteers we spoke with said they were not part of the protests or downtown but watched on TV.
The teenagers participate in Central Indiana Youth for Christ. Adult leaders thought that bringing them down town, having them scrub paint off limestone and brick would help them understand.
"Black lives matter, which means humanity matters; all lives matter, humanity matters," Antonio Patton said.
Spells looked at the big picture too.
"A lot of times people just like to judge people for what they look like," he said "If you put yourself in other people's shoes you will learn something from this."
