BLM Leader Brawls with Female Staffer Over Alleged Misuse of Funds

Surveillance video shows executive director fighting with project manager who accused him of gambling away organization's money

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Dramatic surveillance footage shows Clyde McLemore, the executive director of Black Lives Matter in Lake County, Illinois, brawling with female staffer Nyesha Hill under a BLM banner. Hill accused McLemore of using the organization's funds for personal gambling, leading to a physical altercation where she threw him to the ground multiple times. Neither party pressed charges, with Hill telling police she didn't 'want to see a black man in jail'.

Why it matters

The incident highlights tensions and allegations of financial mismanagement within local Black Lives Matter chapters, which have faced increased scrutiny over the use of funds donated to the movement. The reluctance to press charges also speaks to broader issues of accountability and the challenges of addressing internal conflicts within activist organizations.

The details

The fight occurred last October at a Waukegan resource center, but the footage only surfaced during a police investigation in January into an alleged battery. Hill confronted McLemore, accusing him of using BLM funds for personal gambling instead of the organization's work. The two then engaged in a physical altercation, with Hill managing to throw McLemore to the ground multiple times before they both sustained minor injuries.

  • The fight took place in October 2025.
  • Police opened an investigation into the incident in January 2026.

The players

Clyde McLemore

The executive director of Black Lives Matter in Lake County, Illinois, who was involved in the physical altercation.

Nyesha Hill

A project manager for the Black Lives Matter chapter who accused McLemore of using the organization's funds for personal gambling.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's not fair that I come here and I work and you running around taking care of other things that don't got nothing to do with Black Lives Matter with Black Lives Matter money. I'm the one that make this joint work.”

— Nyesha Hill, Project Manager (Lake and McHenry County Scanner)

What’s next

McLemore has obtained an emergency no-contact order following the incident, but it remains unclear if any further action will be taken by authorities or the Black Lives Matter organization.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges faced by local Black Lives Matter chapters in maintaining financial transparency and accountability, as well as the difficulties in addressing internal conflicts within activist movements without resorting to violence or legal action.