In Washington on Saturday, small groups of demonstrators were streaming along the major thoroughfares to the center of the district near the White House, the main protest zone, where an estimated thousand-plus had gathered by early afternoon. Special police divisions and military-style vehicles blocked traffic and were parked at the side of the road.
The early protest in downtown Washington had a party atmosphere, with music playing, volunteers handing out free food and water, and one group posing with National Guard personnel for a picture while others chanted, “No justice, no peace.” A high black metal fence kept demonstrators from Lafayette Park, outside the White House, and no security forces were visible behind the fence or in the park.
Courtney Ross, 28, a D.C. resident originally from Georgia, said she came to the protests because her female antecedents had contended with racism. “My mother couldn’t be here, so I wanted to be here for her,” she said.
Reba McGinnis, a 48-year-old federal employee from Washington, D.C., attending the protest Saturday with her husband and 13-year-old daughter. “I’m here so we can have a better future for my daughter,” she said. She added George Floyd’s killing left her feeling angry and saddened, but also inspired by the number of people in the U.S. and abroad rallying around a common cause. “It was so egregious to see it play out national television, that was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
The weather Saturday was cloudy with scattered thunder showers forecast for the afternoon, when protesters were expected to amass near the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, as well as in smaller groups around town.
+ There are no comments
Add yours