Dana Point Kneels Down

As the country reeled over the killing of George Floyd by the accused police officer Derek Chauvin, the number of protests began to rise. On June 6, the Black Lives Matter movement reached its peak with over 550 protests. Floyd was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis, however the protests spread internationally. In major cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York, and Minneapolis itself, the proximity of protesters and police caused tension. In some of the earliest protests, there was property damage and looting. As the number of protesters swelled, mayors ordered curfews.

Here in Dana Point, there were at least three organized peaceful protests that occurred. There was a protest on June 3 at the corner of Camino Del Avion and Golden Lantern, and the next one occurred on June 5. The march from Dana Point Harbor to Salt Creek Beach could be heard a mile away with cars honking in support and about 1000 voices uniting for change.While in attendance, I observed people marching in masks both young and old with signs in hand. There was a moment of silence when everyone kneeled for exactly seven minutes and forty-six seconds in memory of Floyd. It also happened to be what would’ve been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday (Breonna Taylor was shot five times in her sleep on Mar. 13th by police officers who entered her apartment), so protestors sang Happy Birthday to honor Taylor’s memory. Most signs read “Hold Police Accountable,” “Say Their Names” or simply “Black Lives Matter.”