Several dozen people came together in Hermiston today to join the nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd.
A small crowd began gathering at the intersection of Highway 395 and Elm Avenue before noon holding signs in response to the killing of Floyd last week.
Shortly after noon, dozens had gathered on four corners of the intersection.
“A lot of people are speaking out,” said Mercedes Shaver, 21, of Hermiston. “We want to show people we support the cause.
Standing next to Shaver was 21-year-old Megan Morse. She, too, felt the need to show support.
“I just felt like I had to do something,” Morse said. When asked what made this killing of an African American by a police officer different from others to the point where a crowd assembles to protest in the streets of Hermiston, Shaver said things in the United States have reached a tipping point.
“It’s the last strike,” she said. “We’re tired of it.”
“Sitting back and doing nothing is like saying it’s OK,” she Morse.
Floyd was killed on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minn., when an officer kept his knee on the right side of Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes. Since then, protests have erupted throughout the nation and the world.
In Hermiston on Monday, the protesters received the occasional negative comment from passing motorists, but Shaver said motorists “have been mostly supportive” by honking as they drive by.
Seth Lowrance, 28, of Umatilla, said he heard about the Hermiston protests on social media, like most others. He decided to call a friend, driver over to Hermiston and join the crowd.
“I’m just tired of seeing the same thing happen and nothing getting done about it,” he said. His friend, Sarah Jensen, 23, of Hermiston, said Floyd’s death was one too many.
“Before, people could kind of ignore it, but this has been going on for so many years,” said Jensen.
The makeup of Monday’s crowd was a mix of black, white and Latino, but primarily under the age of 30. Jensen said it would be nice if there had been some older protesters, but she was not disappointed.
“I’m glad it’s the youth that are out here,” she said. “Change starts with us.”
Sixteen-year-old Jose Cortez of Hermiston was among the youth who felt a need to take part.
“I just thought, ‘What am I doing sitting at home when this is going on?’ I may as well share my voice,” he said. Cortez said seeing the footage of Floyd on TV was “heartbreaking.”
What happened to George Lloyd was a tragedy, and the police officers involved should certainly be held accountable. But if any of these people think it made one iota of difference that they staged their own homegrown “Mini-protest” here in Hermiston, they’re sadly mistaken. Hermiston doesn’t amount to a speck of dust on the World Stage, and aside from a small blurb in the local news and a few passing motorists, NOBODY is (or was) paying any attention. It accomplished exactly nothing, aside from creating another potential source of Covid-19 exposure for those who decided to be “activists” and “social justice advocates”… and of course, their friends and family members as well. But I suppose nobody ever thought of that. Sheeple…
Ummm, people are paying attention so you’re wrong. Furthermore, people are sick of stories like this, including myself… so you just go ahead and criticize those who are standing up to say something, so you just go ahead and sit behind your phone and do nothing!!! Yeah that seems to be the American way…”Sheeple”… UGH
I read two national articles on small town America joining the protests, so I think it did. Hemiston was mentioned in the article in the Washington Post.
Better make sure none of them are connected to Antifa, or Hermiston won’t know what hit it!
Hermiston is part of a protest that is world wide. Not just Hermiston. That is why it is making a difference. People are listening. Hermiston is doing their part to change this injustice that has gone on for far to long. I applaud Hermiston and other small towns for speaking out.
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