A Banner That Sends an Overall Message at The BLM Rally in Portland This Afternoon.

Some of the Crowd at Todays Rally in Memory of Breonna Taylor in Louisville.  The Crowd was  at the Intersection of Franklin and Middle Streets After Leaving the Front of the Portland Police Department.

“Lose your voice today,” Josh Wood, one of the organizers of the Black Lives Matter Maine Rally challenged the many hundreds that gathered in front of the Portland Police Department headquarters late this afternoon.  Chances are  many did lose their voices.

From the steps of the Portland Police Department. Middle Street,  Wood said:  “We are here to dismantle racist systems.  We can change things in Portland, Maine and everywhere.  Keep it up,” he urged.

For most of the  downtown Rally,  repeating chant after chant was the preoccupation of the large and peaceful crowd assembled once again – “this is what democracy looks like” – “no justice, no peace” – “whose streets, our streets.”

About half an hour after the Rally began, the crowd moved a block away to the intersection of Franklin and Middle Streets.  There many sat down to block traffic and reflect on the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky by uncharged police.  In other words,  none of the officers involved in her death were  held accountable – they went scot-free.  Hence, the motivation for the Rally this afternoon in Portland and all over the nation. The “Ideal Maine Band” joined the Rally at the intersection providing a musical backdrop for the on-going chanting and speaking.

Just after 5:00 pm, the peaceful crowd was directed by Christopher Solo to split into two groups – one heading down toward Commercial Street and the other up toward Congress Street and back to city hall.

At this point, a hoarse mhn.com split into her own group – returning home to Munjoy Hill!

Please visit previous post herein for more background information on the Rally today.