Page 13 - https://downmagaz.net

As the group approached an intersection,

a police car tried to push its way forward.

The marshal calmly positioned herself at the

bumper, between the patrol car and the crowd.

The officer inside gestured for the marshal to get

out of the way.

“The marshal just stood there and held their

hands up and kept shaking their head at them,

like ‘No I’m not gonna move’ while everybody

passed,” Smith said. With the marshal’s

guidance, the crowd and officer moved on

without incident.

“Having the people there who were very clearly

making sure that we were safe also helped make

things feel peaceful,” Smith said. “When you feel

like people are making sure that you’re safe, it’s

easier to just focus on the message that you’re

trying to convey.”

As demonstrators in the nation’s capital chanted

Floyd’s name Tuesday night, a single protester

climbed a light post and took down a street sign.

The crowd booed. Some threw bottles at him;

others tried to grab him before he jumped down

and disappeared into the crowd. But a chant

soon went up: “Peaceful protest,” and the crowd

eventually calmed.

The same night in Houston, the police chief

remained after a rally and march to talk to

the crowd of about 65 people and explain his

department’s efforts to collaborate with local

activists. He encouraged people to informally

monitor and help fellow demonstrators, to

prevent violence from hijacking protests.

“God as my witness, change is coming,” Acevedo

said. “And we’re going to do it the right way.”

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