Jun 04, 2020

Floyd's death draws 1,000 protesters in Garden City

Posted Jun 04, 2020 9:30 AM
 A man holds an American flag at Garden City's unity rally on Wednesday night. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
A man holds an American flag at Garden City's unity rally on Wednesday night. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service

By CORINNE BOYER
Kansas News Service

GARDEN CITY — 

A unity rally put together by an incoming Garden City High School senior drew more than 1,000 people to downtown Garden City on Wednesday night.

Carmen Robinson said she had the support of the Garden City Police Department for the rally, which was held in a park that filled up with hundreds before the event even started. 

"This is awesome," she said. "This is change."

Garden City, which has a population of about 26,000 in a county whose total is about 36,000, joined countless cities across the United States and the world in protesting racism and police violence, including Wichita, Topeka and Lawrence.

The protests have been spurred by the recent deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis, who was killed when a police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes, as well as Louisville, Kentucky, EMS worker Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot in her home by police.

"I have a six-year-old black nephew who loves police officers," Robinson told the crowd in Garden City. "And as he grows, I don't want him to be seen as a threat — or any black lives at that."

Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service

All types of people — families, students and children — marched around the park. Traffic slowed on Main Street as demonstrators shouted, "I can't breathe," "Black Lives Matter" and George Floyd's name.

The Garden City Police Department thanked the speakers and participants for attending.

"The Garden City Police Department listened to the messages delivered last night," it said in a statement Thursday, "and will continue to work with the community to maintain a growing, positive relationship." 

 Many people wore masks as they chanted "Black Lives Matter" calling for an end to police violence. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
Many people wore masks as they chanted "Black Lives Matter" calling for an end to police violence. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 The crowd listens to speakers during the unity rally in Garden City. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
The crowd listens to speakers during the unity rally in Garden City. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 Several people carried signs with George Floyd's name. Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last week. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
Several people carried signs with George Floyd's name. Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last week. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 Children of all ages marched with their families at the unity rally. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
Children of all ages marched with their families at the unity rally. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 People holding signs while listening to speakers. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
People holding signs while listening to speakers. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 An attendee holding a "Black Trans Lives Matter" sign as dust clouds rolled in. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
An attendee holding a "Black Trans Lives Matter" sign as dust clouds rolled in. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
 A woman holding a sign in downtown Garden City. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
A woman holding a sign in downtown Garden City. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
People gathered in the center of the park as the event ended. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service
People gathered in the center of the park as the event ended. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @corinne_boyer or email [email protected]. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.