With Friday’s protest, people from Salem have now been protesting police brutality and racism for seven consecutive days. About 60 people were at the Capitol steps at the peak of the protest, in the evening. This number, which is significantly lower than other crowds this week, comes as Salem prepares for a large event on Saturday from 12-4:30, to which well over two thousand people have RSVP’d for on Facebook.
Like Thursday, Friday’s protest was formed organically, with no formal organizer or schedule of events. People came and went throughout the day.
Two young women, Ali and Clarice [last names omitted] said that they have been at the Capitol almost every day this week. They want the government to focus more on equality, both through cultivating diversity and passing protective legislation. They also discussed the need to hold officers accountable for their crimes.
“[We are here] because we believe that all humans should be treated equally,” Ali said.
Although the focus of these protests in the past has been on George Floyd, there were several signs and chants to honor Breonna Taylor today, such as “say her name, Breonna Taylor.” Taylor was an EMT who was shot eight times when officers entered her home unidentified. Officers were looking for someone who was already in custody. Friday’s protest was held on what would have been Taylor’s 27th birthday.
Along with chanting for Taylor, protestors also chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “hey, hey, ho, ho, these racist cops have got to go.” A group of about ten youth led the chants.
Protestors cheered as cars passed honking and raised fists in solidarity. They booed when people did not honk in support.
In between chants, Ed Jeminson took the megaphone and gave a speech. Protestors deciding to give speeches suddenly has become common-place and the rest are always respectful of the one speaking. Jeminson talked about the importance of peace and quoted Martin Luther King Jr. He discussed how through love, action will come.
“What are you going to do with the legacy George left?” Jeminson then asked the crowd.
Protestors returned to chanting and cheering for passing cars, until around 9:40 p.m. A large pickup truck with an American flag and a Trump flag, turned on it’s high beams as it was coming down Court Street. The driver swerved towards protestors and then accelerated quickly.
The truck returned again about ten minutes later. The driver again turned on bright high beams and accelerated quickly down Court Street in front of the Capitol. A protestor turned on the pedestrian lights and entered the crosswalk in a hope to encourage the driver to drive safely. The driver accelerated more, then slammed on the brakes, stopping a few feet from the protestor.
Multiple protestors got the second incident on video. They stopped the next patrol vehicle they saw and notified the police officer, who said that he would deal with it. The truck did not come back.
Another counter-protestor stood at the top of the Capitol steps with a “thin blue line” American flag. He did not engage with anyone gathered below.
Protestors returned to cheering for passing cars, until the 11 p.m. curfew. At this time, about 50 people remained. About ⅓ of the crowd left then, while the rest waited for officers to appear. A few Salem police officers arrived, again in regular uniforms and in lower numbers than the last few nights. They stood with groups notifying them of curfew, but also telling jokes and chatting casually with the remaining youth.
Protestors are expected to return to the Capitol on Saturday for a major rally from 12-4:30 p.m. Well over 2000 people have indicated that they are attending on Facebook and more than 4000 are “interested.”
