100 in PT protest police brutality

Demonstration follows days of outrage in US

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Ripples of a national uprising were felt in Port Townsend as more than 100 people gathered May 30 to protest against police brutality.

The protest was one of many across the country that occurred over the weekend in response to the killing of George Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis five days earlier. A video of Floyd’s death, taken by a bystander, shows a police officer kneeling on his neck for 8 minutes while restraining Floyd. The officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

At the protest in front of Safeway on Sims Way, more than 100 people gathered over a span of several hours holding signs that read, “Black Lives Matter” and “George Floyd.”

Protesters stood spread out from one another, wearing masks and chanting as people driving by honked their car horns in support.

The event organizer, Sean Vinson, said he was surprised so many people showed up for the protest.

“I put up a post on Facebook last night saying I was going to come down here with a sign,” he said. “I did a headcount at one point, and there were 113 people here.”

Vinson grew up in Quilcene and now lives and works in Port Townsend. He said he has experienced racial discrimination here and wanted his voice to be heard.

“There’s been a lot of covert racism going on in this community for a long time,” he said. “I’ve experienced it my whole life.”

Vinson was joined by his friends and other community members who saw his post on Facebook. Some protesters were visiting from Chicago and New York and wanted to show up in support of the protesters in their hometowns.

“If we really are a community, one person’s problem is everybody’s problem,” said Christopher Faisca, who attended the protest.

In Seattle, violence broke out amidst similar protests. Videos on Seattle television stations showed the Seattle Police Department walking the streets in riot gear with pepper spray and tear gas canisters.

No police attended the protest in Port Townsend. Sheriff Joe Nole and Police Chief Troy Surber released statements condemning the actions of the Minneapolis police officer charged with George Floyd’s murder.

“The tragic death of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis is deeply concerning,” Nole wrote. “Actions seen in the video are not consistent with the training or values of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.”