Part of a large crowd of participants in Sunday’s peaceful protest walks around Ashley Pond, at times chanting ‘No Justice, No Peace’. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Dan McCarn and Kristin Foree Tobias arrive on horseback at the Fuller Lodge Park prior to Sunday’s peaceful protest. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Rev. Chris Adams of the Episcopal Church of Los Alamos leads benediction at Fuller Lodge prior to the protest at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Protestors walk to Ashley Pond Park led by Rev. Chris Adams. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The group of protestors listens to speakers at Ashley Pond Park bandstand Sunday afternoon. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Protest participants walk to Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Dozens of signs were carried by participants in a peaceful protest at Ashley Pond Park Sunday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
More participants carrying signs Sunday at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
A father and son team at the protest Sunday at Ashley Pond. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Participants in Sunday’s protest march at Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Participants in the protest march at Ashley Pond Park Sunday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The crowd begins to gather at Ashley Pond Sunday. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The beginning of the protest march around Ashley Pond Sunday afternoon. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
A crowd of about 200 people attended a peaceful protest about racism and George Floyd’s death Sunday, beginning at Fuller Lodge Park and continuing on to Ashley Pond Park. The event was organized by Los Alamos residents Dan McCarn and Kristin Foree Tobias.
McCarn told participants he had spoken to Los Alamos Police Department officers twice Sunday morning.
“They know we’re assembling here. We’re probably being watched right now,” he said.
He told participants nobody should be carrying a backpack, that a backpack is just a place for bad people to put bad things. McCarn said if anything happened that was out of the ordinary or that was not appropriate participants should reassemble behind Fuller Lodge.
“Hopefully this crowd is good enough that we are not going to confront the police. The police are assisting us in this. They are standing back observing. If there is a problem we can call,” McCarn said. “This is not for confrontation for the police. The police understand this issue very well and they’ve been good about it for years so I’m not concerned about them…. They are appropriately appraised about the composition of this group.”
McCarn had also written to LAPD prior to the event.
Foree Tobias said they had organized the event to show mindfulness and conscientiousness about what is going on in the nation. The protest was prompted by the death of 46-year old George Floyd while he was in police custody following an incident where a Minneapolis police officer was videoed pinning Floyd’s neck with his knee as Floyd told him he couldn’t breath.
The police officer has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd’s death has triggered days of demonstrations throughout the country.
At Ashley Pond, Rev. Chris Adams spoke about the need to end police brutality and to ensure that police officers who “use their power inappropriately and grotesquely” not just be given administrative leave but jail time.
“As I white man who is a Christian, I stand up here with all of the privileges that society affords. I am interested in hearing people who don’t look and sound like me,” Adams said.
Several people opted to speak briefly during the hour-long event before participants quietly dispersed.