An event was held in Escanaba Saturday afternoon to promote racial equality and social justice, one of many held across the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis Police.
Several dozen people gathered at the Municipal Dock near Ludington Park and marched up Ludington Street, holding signs like “Black Lives Matter”, and calling for a greater understanding between people of different backgrounds.
The “Bring Escanaba Into 2020” rally had the stated goal of marching for the “black lives lost to systemic racism and police brutality”.
But the event did not target local police, in fact, it was organized in advance, and with the cooperation of the Escanaba Public Safety Department.
The participants also chanted the names of Floyd and other black men and women who have died while in police custody, or who otherwise died violent deaths, over the years. The event started at 3:00 Saturday afternoon under bright, sunny skies.
The protestors chanted “I Can’t Breathe”, a reference to Floyd’s words caught on video while a Minneapolis police officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck.
There had been talk on social media that a Second Amendment counter-protest would happen, and some were concerned about potential confrontations. Indeed, there was some shouting at the protestors, but there was no violence.
“It was awesome,” said Allison Paige, one of the participants. “People stayed peaceful. The Escanaba Police were exceptional allies to the cause, and even in the face of drive-by counter-protestors, our efforts remained peaceful.”
The event’s Facebook page drew 70 shares and roughly 200 people who said they were either interested in going, or were definitely planning on attending.
(Photos, Videos Courtesy of Allison Paige)
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