Community members took to the streets Thursday to protest the death of George Floyd
Hundreds of people flocked to the Healdsburg Plaza Thursday night, June 4, to protest the death of George Floyd, who was killed by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25.
Around 600 people came out for the protest, which lasted from 6 to 10 p.m. and remained peaceful throughout. Participants in the demonstration stood along Healdsburg Avenue before walking down Matheson Street, turning on Center Street and eventually kneeling in front of the Healdsburg Police Department. From there, they marched around the roundabout and to City Hall before disbursing into smaller groups.
As they marched, participants called out call-and-response phrases that have been used across the country: “No justice, no peace,” “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and “Say his name — George Floyd.”
Many of the people driving by the plaza during the event honked their horns in solidarity, chanted along or held up their own signs.
While hired security, Healdsburg police and neighboring agencies were present for the demonstration, law enforcement largely maintained a distance from the Plaza, blocking off streets as people marched through them.
The Healdsburg protest came on the heels of various other demonstrations around the county, including two nights of smaller protests in Windsor, single-day protests in Sebastopol and Cloverdale and six days of protests in Santa Rosa.
Earlier this week, a Healdsburg resident planned a Thursday gathering in the plaza meant to call attention to Floyd’s death. The event, which didn’t include a march, was canceled due to concerns of, “mounting fear in the community that outside agitators want to target Healdsburg,” organizer Katie Ambrosi wrote on the social media description of the event. Ambrosi instead organized an event earlier on Thursday, where families came out to chalk the sidewalks around the Plaza with affirming messages and notes of remembrance.
While many of those protesting were locals, folks from Santa Rosa also came to town, and signs calling for the defunding of the Santa Rosa Police Department were posted at the plaza. Event organizers had water and food placed throughout the plaza area and were offering it to those who came out in the 90-degree heat.
