About 250 people peacefully protested on Friday in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, drawing by the far the largest crowd at Main Beach Park within the last six days.
Protestors chanted “no justice, no peace” as a steady stream of motorists honked in approval. Motorists raised their fists or flashed the peace sign as they drove by the protest. Organizers shouted into bullhorns, “say his name” and the crowd replied “George Floyd.” They offered the same memorial to Breonna Taylor, a black woman fatally shot in her apartment by Louisville police officers.
Caspian Brock, 23, of Laguna Beach was among a group of young people who helped coordinate the protest on social media,
“I think it’s important that Laguna Beach takes a stand given that this is a largely white and affluent town,” Brock said. “We are not immune from the system of racism. And if people continue to hide from that we’ll be a huge part of the problem.”
Laguna Beach Police Chief Laura Farinella and Capt. Jeff Calvert showed up at the protest to observe how it was progressing. Farinella walked over and encouraged the protest organizers to call police if someone started harassing them.
“We want to thank everyone for peacefully demonstrating and it not turning to violence,” Farinella told the Independent. “In speaking with the people at this protest today, if anyone becomes violent or not wearing a mask they ask them to leave, so we appreciate that.”
Farinella added that the Laguna Beach Police Department stand in partnership with protestors against what happened to Floyd.
Laguna Beach resident Kristy Melita raised a sign emblazoned with “Equality for All” on one side and “November 3, 2020 Vote” on the other.
“When we did the Women’s marches, Black Lives Matter turned out for us and supported our cause,” she said. “I promised them that I would stand up for them. It’s important for towns like ours to stand up.”
GREAT JOB !!
For those people who are focussing on the looting, I say:
Change: “it’s too bad George Floyd was killed, but the looting has to stop!”
TO: “It’s too bad there is some looting, but the killing of Black people has got to stop!”
There’s Nothing More Revealing About Laguna Liberals Than Their Noble Sign Waving on Behalf of A LOOTED Santa Monica . . the most liberal city / goverment in So Cal gets trashed! . . . Laguna’s Fools Took Too Much Orange Sunshine Back in the day, and now their brains are frozen in time.
Supporting a match group who care nothing about black lives. Cha Ching… All the way to the bank they walk and you are backing their heist. Nice…