Peaceful demonstration at Potomac Mills honors George Floyd, calls for change
On May 29, demonstrators gathered at Potomac Mills Mall to honor the memory of George Floyd while also protesting systemic societal issues that make stories like his all too common in America. Event organizers contacted Prince William County Police to coordinate plans for a peaceful protest. Below is a statement from Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye:
Today, in the Occoquan District, demonstrators are assembling at Potomac Mills to stand in solidarity with the family of George Floyd, the people of Minneapolis, and for communities of color everywhere that continue to relive trauma in the face of systemic racism. Exercising our First Amendment Right is an American and Virginian tradition enshrined in our Constitution to allow us to air our grievances against oppression; I cannot think of a better description for the continued senseless murder of unarmed Black men and the weaponization of police calls against innocent people of color.
We are fortunate to live in a community where stories like George Floyd’s and Christian Cooper’s are not common. The Prince William County Police Department puts officers through one of the nation’s top training programs, with a focus on de-escalation and community building. At the same time, we should not simply accept this relative harmony as the best we can do. We must – as a community – continue to speak out against injustice when we see it, have tough conversations with our friends and neighbors about inequality, and seek to reform or dismantle all systems within our society which perpetuate racism in all its forms.
The PW Perspective will be hosting a forum next week to discuss protecting people in black and brown communities.
