Protesters chant ‘say his name’ through downtown Columbia
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Protesters gathered outside of the Boone County Courthouse around 5 p.m. Friday.
The group of about 25 people started to march around 6:40 p.m. Protesters chanted "say his name" and "George Floyd" as they walked. The group went on Providence Road and Worley Street.
Jacquelyn Watts, an organizer of the march, said they want Columbia police to listen to their community.
"If they had more foot patrol people, and got out and walked around these neighborhoods and introduced themselves and asked people in these neighborhoods what is it you need from us, what is it you would like to see from us," Watts said. "It doesn't take a lot."
"Without freedom, there can be no peace, and without peace, there can be no freedom, and until we have both, this is what we have to do," Watts said.
Lt. Mike Hestir of the Columbia Police department thanked the protesters for remaining peaceful and passionate on Friday.
"You know I think policing, in general, has to change," Lt. Hestir said. "The citizens deserve constitutionally sound, safe treatment."
"I think the police are listening, the community is listening because of how much trouble they've gone through to be peaceful," Lt. Hestir said.
As of 8 p.m., the march remained peaceful with police escorting the group around town. Officers and demonstrators shared water bottles and snacks.
Just before 9 p.m, protesters knelt at the intersection of Broadway and 8th Street.
The crowd then moved to the University of Missouri campus around 9:15 p.m. Several people spoke to the crowd, sharing their support for the movement.
The group moved on to Providence Road around 9:35 p.m. Protesters laid down in the middle of the intersection at Elm Street while an organizer read George Floyd's last words to the group.
Hundreds, if not thousands have gathered in the streets of Columbia over the last week after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.
Starting on Friday, May 29 people came together at the Boone County Courthouse, the Columbia Police department and several street intersections central Columbia demanding justice and protesting police brutality.
The protests in Columbia have remained peaceful for the most part, after two demonstrators were struck by cars at the intersection of Providence and Broadway.
The Columbia Police Department has been working with the demonstrations later in the week. On Thursday, CPD officers were seen escorting marchers through the streets of central Columbia.
