Tensions remain high across the U.S. as the fallout from the death of Daunte Wright reverberates in communities both near and far. Here in the Capital Region, activists took their message to the streets, where they were met by Albany Police.

What started as a peaceful protest for Daunte Wright in Albany's Townsend Park Wednesday afternoon turned into a clash between protesters and police outside Albany's South Station.

Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins says police were initially escorting peaceful protesters throughout the city to help with the flow of traffic. He says later on, people started provoking and attacking officers at the police's South Station, and says someone broke a glass door at the front of the building.

"The Albany Police Department respects the rights of individuals and groups to peacefully protest," Hawkins said. "But it is unacceptable for individuals to damage property. It is unacceptable for individuals to hurt people.”

Albany police spokesperson Steve Smith says officers started to use pepper spray on protesters only after the glass door was broke.

Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “All are welcome to come here and protest. Again, we host peaceful protests all the time. We have to ensure, though, that we are also protecting private property, protecting public property and protecting the health and safety of individuals.”

But Paul Collins Hackett, who joined the protests later on, says that in videos, it seems like officers were the ones who escalated a peaceful situation.

“It seemed to me that the crowd wasn’t being heard when the captain, aggressively, when there was no physical altercations going on, and the captain grabbed the bullhorn and snatched it away from someone, causing her bodily harm," Hackett said.

Hackett is referring to a video clip in which an officer in white appears to walk over to a protester and grab a bullhorn. After that, the video becomes shaky.

Hackett says the chaos and pepper spraying was in complete contrast to what happened later. “Later on that evening, there were police in helmets, shields, riot gear, this, that and a third. And as soon as they went in, the crowd noticeably calmed down and was quieter. The de-escalation tactics worked. The escalation tactics of pepper spray did not work.”

Asked if the use of pepper spray was justified, Sheehan said, “I have not reviewed the footage of that, and have not been briefed on that.”

Protest organizer Legacy Casanova says they’re calling on the officers involved to resign, and that another protest is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday in Townsend Park.