Saturday, June 6, 2020 was an historic moment for Culver City. Two gatherings – one at Culver City High School and one at Vets Park – joined together for a march up Culver Boulevard to City Hall, focused on defeating racism. The afternoon saw an estimated two thousand people marching together in a display of solidarity, mourning George Floyd and the many other victims of police violence. It was one of thousands of such events across the country and around the world, part of a movement intent on dismantling white supremacy and ending police violence.
In a city that had decades of infamy over racism, it was a loud and vibrant call to change.
The rally that began at Vets Park saw people arriving in a steady stream from 10:30 am. Co-hosted by two organization, Black Lives Matter and White Coats for Black Lives, the careful space created by the organizers included reminders of physical distancing, lots of available water, and some art stations for the young children in the crowd. Like the protests that have occupied the corner of Culver and Overland Boulevards through the week, there were many families with small children. The majority of the crowd wore masks in respect of the still-virulent coronavirus, and hand sanitizer was made available as well.
The march that started at the high school was organized by the students, and drew many local families in to walk together for change.
Local protest will continue; today, June 8, 2020 at the corner of Overland and Culver Boulevards at 3pm, and tomorrow, June 9, a group called Students for BLM will be hosting a rally and march planned to begin at 1 pm at Vets Park, and then marching down to LAPD Pacific Division, at Culver Boulevard and Centinela Avenue.
Judith Martin-Straw
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