Last night protesters walked from Bryant Park uptown on 5th Ave and turned west before reaching the Trump Towers where police behind barricades could be seen ahead. Speakers who carried a home loudspeaker guided organically the growing group weaving at a steady pace, towards the west side avoiding any police's roadblocks Chanting and shouting "Say his name, George Floyd. Say her name, Breonna Taylor to "NYPD suck my Dick", the march was long and spirits high. During moments of silents along the way, the protesters kneeled several times before arriving downtown Manhattan's courts. On the old building's steps framed inside its pillars, one of the young speakers mentioned that other protesters from Brooklyn were stopped from joining the Manhattan march. Before marchers stepped onto a crowded Brooklyn Bridge, chanting "Peaceful Protest!“ Repeat after me one of the speakers screamed into the mic This is a peaceful protest, we will not incite or tolerate violence and or provocations towards the cops...he continued... hold each other accountable, for everyone's actions. Stop and intervene when you see looting, this is a peaceful protest."
Some people jumped onto the street running alongside the pedestrian path, stopping the traffic towards Brooklyn. A young woman standing in the middle of the highway holding up her protest sign with dozens of cars lined up behind her waiting.
It was dark when the protesters reached the Barclay center on the other side of the bridge in Brooklyn. Three silhouettes of three cops standing on a roof looking down on us seemed intimidating. The accessive presents of police in riot gear stood in stark contrast to the peaceful march. The Police started to strategically circle in the protesters, sometimes moving them forcefully into the streets where car traffic had come somewhat to hold and then from another side cops with their buttons and tears gas canisters pointing towards the youth moving them forcefully back onto a sidewalk. The unnecessary authoritative stand by the NYPD seemed out of place and one could sense that there might be a push back by the so-far peaceful protesters.
