Anger over the fatal shooting of Botham Jean spilled into Dallas City Council chambers Wednesday, temporarily halting a council meeting.

Council members, who were hearing zoning cases, were caught off guard by the arrival of dozens of protesters. Mayor Mike Rawlings called a sudden recess and left the meeting as chants of "No justice, no peace" began.

The activists then urged city leaders to make changes that they say will help end police brutality and improve community relations.

Rawlings said even though he halted the council meeting, he understood the protest. Civil disobedience, he said, has been "the heart and blood of this country for many years."

"Their anger is the same thing everyone is feeling," Rawlings said, "that this is a tragedy."

Last week 26-year-old Jean was shot and killed in his apartment by Officer Amber Guyger, who told authorities she mistook the apartment for her own, which was one floor below, and thought Jean, a black man, was an intruder. The white officer has been charged with manslaughter in his death. The Texas Rangers are investigating the shooting.

After the meeting resumed, the council voted to allow protesters to speak at the end, waiving a rule requiring them to register beforehand.

Activists were critical of council members in their comments.

"I watched our mayor huff and puff as our people spoke about how they're tired of being killed," Lelani Russell said during the open-mic portion of the meeting.

"Shame on you," Melody Koonce told the council. "This has been a farce. You have constantly used your procedures not to listen to the people. ... We have had this tragedy in our community and we come to our elected body to speak truth to power, to ask for consideration, to demand justice."

Activist Dominique Alexander, who helped organize the protest, said "it's time for us to stop conducting business as usual."

"You may think this is inappropriate, but tell me, what is appropriate?" he said.

Alexander has called for answers and further details since Botham's slaying.

After he called the recess, the mayor dispatched his chief of community relations, Vana Hammond, to find Alexander and invite him into a closed-door discussion. Alexander was allowed to bring two others with him and was joined by Imam Omar Suleiman and Pastor Marcus King of Disciple Central Community Church in DeSoto.

Mayor Pro Tem Casey Thomas led the council meeting while Rawlings and City Manager T.C. Broadnax met with the activists along with Police Chief U. Renee Hall.

The mayor said they discussed the activists' support for Hall and their desire to overhaul the Citizens Police Review Board, a council-appointed advisory panel that hears complaints against cops, and improve communication.

They did not get into specifics about the review board, but Rawlings said Hall "is working on it, and they said they want the council to support whatever she suggests."

The mayor said he's also discussed the advisory board with the American Civil Liberties Union.

Alexander said later that the mayor seemed sympathetic, but actual changes to the Citizens Police Review Board would convince him of Rawlings' sincerity.

1 / 11Activist Dominique Alexander, leading a protest at a Dallas City Council meeting in September, called for giving the Citizens Police Review Board more power. Alexander said a stronger board is needed because "it gives the taxpayers a voice in the Police Department that serves them."(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 2 / 11Dr. Pamela Grayson addressed the Dallas City Council during an open-mic session during Wednesday's meeting.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 3 / 11Dr. Pamela Grayson and others had to wait for an open-mic session to begin before addressing the Dallas City Council on Wednesday.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 4 / 11Mayor Pro Tem Casey Thomas listened to citizens concerned about last week's shooting of 26-year-old Botham Jean by a Dallas police officer.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 5 / 11Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings met with activist in a closed-door during a Dallas City Council meeting on Wednesday.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 6 / 11Olinka Green attended Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting where protesters chanted "No Justice, no peace."(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 7 / 11Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall and City Manager T.C. Broadnax met with activists along with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 8 / 11McKinney councilman La'Shadion Shemwell showed off his bullet proof vest before Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 9 / 11Activist Dominique Alexander spoke to the media before Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 10 / 11Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings (left) met with activists in a closed-door session during Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographer) 11 / 11Chief of Community Relations Vana Hammond spoke with activists Dominique Alexander during Wednesday's Dallas City Council meeting.(Shaban Athuman / Staff Photographe)

Suleiman said later that they also demanded Guyger be fired immediately.

The imam said Rawlings said all the right things, but that until promises become policies, and until there is better communication between the city and the community, there will continue to be anger, suspicion and frustration.

"We don't like protesting," Suleiman said. "We don't like being oppositional. We would rather have a productive one-hour meeting than organize a protest and take to the streets. That is something I was trying to convey to him. [But] people feel disrespected. People feel unheard."