Peaceful protestors flood D.C.: a photo story

With public outrage over racism and police brutality past a boiling point, peaceful protestors are marching in over 700 U.S. cities and around the world, even amidst a global pandemic. Today over 10,000 masked protestors marched in Washington D.C., chanting “Black lives matter,” “No justice, no peace,” “Hands up, don’t shoot!” and “Hey hey, ho ho, these racist cops have got to go!” 

The atmosphere in the District on the humid, 90-degree day, felt far different than earlier this week. Gone were the imposing officers in riot gear. Law enforcement was sparse, keeping a distance from the protests. As we passed groups of often unarmed guards leaning up against humvees, block after block my friends and I received grins and a scripted greeting — “Hi, how are you?” National Guard troops talked among each other; one group was demolishing a stack of Domino’s pizzas. The scene stood in stark contrast to Trump’s earlier wish to deploy 10,000 troops to quell the protests in D.C. Meanwhile, the tall black gates erected around the White House and various markers remained.

As marches happened all around the city to protest the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countless others, people continued packing 16th Street NW outside the fenced-in White House, where Mayor Bowser’s instantly-famous street mural reads “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in bright yellow letters. Along the streets, volunteers dispensed hand sanitizer, water bottles, and snacks. Shadowed by the buildings representing our nation’s most powerful political institutions, protestors demanded for justice and equality to become a reality — not just words inscribed on their walls.

Here’s a glimpse from my experience participating in a protest on Saturday, June 6.