George Floyd protests in Rhode Island

This is a List of George Floyd protests in Rhode Island, United States.

Locations

Bristol

A protest of more than 1,000 people was held beginning at Colt State Park and ending at Independence Park on June 6.[1]

Burrillville

On June 11, about 50 people marched to Harrison Mill Pond from Eccleston Field and lied face down on the sidewalk with their hands behind their backs for eight minutes and forty-six seconds.[2]

Jamestown

About 100 people participated in a rally in support of Black Lives Matter at East Ferry Landing on June 16.[3]

Narragansett

On June 7, around 300 people rallied in support of Black Lives Matter by the Narragansett Seawall.[4]

New Shoreham

A small "Walk for Justice" protest organized by Block Island residents was held on June 4 outside the Block Island Historical Society.[5]

Newport

More than 100 people converged on Liberty Square in Newport on June 1, 2020 to honor George Floyd.[6] The protests took places only blocks away from the Newport waterfront, a major center of the American slave trade. A second protest was held in Newport on June 6, with several thousand protesters in attendance.[7] A third protest was held at Miantonomi Memorial Park on June 13.[8]

North Kingstown

On June 7, around 300 people gathered by the Stop and Shop Plaza on Ten Rod Road to support Black Lives Matter.[9]

Providence

On May 30, nearly 1,000 people protested at the State House lawn at a peaceful rally organized by Black Lives Matter Rhode Island.[10] Later that night the building was vandalized.[10]

On June 1, rioters set a police car on fire and looted several stores. Some rioters also broke into the Providence Place Mall and stole items. At least 65 people were taken into custody.[11][12][13] In late June, Providence police arrested two members of the Warwick rap group Waraq on charges of inciting violence in connection with the mall break-in.[14] Following the riot, businesses and art studios in downtown Providence painted and displayed plywood murals in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.[15]

On June 2, a 9 p.m.–6 a.m. curfew was subsequently imposed upon the City of Providence beginning June 2, and similar curfews were implemented in several cities and towns throughout the state including the neighboring cities of Central Falls, Cranston, East Providence, Pawtucket and Warwick.[16][17]

On June 5, a second large protest took place at the State House and Kennedy Plaza with 10,000 people in attendance.[18] After the 9 p.m. curfew, Governor Gina Raimondo made an unannounced appearance to address what remained of the crowd, and joined them in a prayer.[19] No violence and few arrests were reported at the event or its aftermath.[20] The Providence curfew was lifted the next day.[21] On June 19, Rhode Island Department of Health director Nicole Alexander-Scott said there were no cases of COVID-19 reported in Rhode Island over the previous two weeks that were attributable to participation at the June 5 protest.[22]

A third protest in Providence was held on June 13 and was organized by a local youth organization. The protesters marched from Burnside Park to the state house, and were joined by a separate march organized by students at Brown University's Alpert Medical School.[23]

A march organized by the Providence Student Union was held in Providence on Juneteenth, with a student group of about 1,000 participants marching from Central High School to the state house.[24] A candlelight vigil was held later that night at Burnside Park to honor deceased Black transgender individuals.[24] Those participating in the vigil then marched to Congdon Street Baptist Church and stopped along the way to pay respects at a marker commemorating the Snowtown Riot in 1831, in which a Black neighborhood in Providence was attacked for four days by a white mob.[24] A women's march was held on June 20, wherein protesters marched from Burnside Park to the state house, and were joined there by Alexander-Scott, who spoke to the crowd.[25]

South Kingstown

A protest was held in the village of Wakefield on June 8.[26] A second youth-led protest was held on June 16, with a group of several hundred protestors kneeling on Kingstown Road for eight minutes and 46 seconds.[27]

Westerly

On June 5, around 50 people gathered on the steps of the post office to peacefully protest.[28]

Woonsocket

On June 3, a group of protesters in Woonsocket gathered with the Police Chief outside the police station demanding change. The protest was held by the Woonsocket Alliance to Champion Hope, also known as The Watch Coalition.[29] Protestors also marched, chanted and carried signs though the town.[30]

References
  1. "Peaceful protest held at Colt State Park in Bristol". WPRI.com. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  2. Ahlquist, Steve (June 11, 2020). "Black Lives Matter march and rally in Burrillville". Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  3. Macintyre, Emma. "Protesters march on avenue to support Black Lives Matter | Jamestown Press". www.jamestownpress.com. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. "Narragansett stages Black Lives Matter rally by the seawall". Uprise RI. June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  5. Connelli, Rosemary. "Community members walk for justice". Block Island Times. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. Damon, Laura (June 1, 2020). "Peaceful vigil held in Newport in wake of George Floyd's killing". NewportRI.com. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  7. "Black Lives Matter RI holds peaceful protest in Newport". WPRI.com. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  8. "Human rights protest planned for Saturday in Newport". The Newport Daily News. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  9. Ahlquist, Steve (June 8, 2020). "North Kingstown residents proudly proclaim that Black Lives Matter". Uprise RI. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  10. "Graffiti sprayed on Rhode Island State House, glass doors broken". WPRI.com. May 31, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  11. NEWS, NBC 10 (June 2, 2020). "Stores damaged in Providence; Massachusetts State Police assist". WJAR.
  12. "Dozens arrested, 10 officers hurt during Providence violence". WCVB. June 2, 2020.
  13. Anderson, Patrick (June 2, 2020). "65 arrested, 8 to 10 police injured in Providence riot". providencejournal.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  14. Machado, Steph (29 June 2020). "Police accuse members of amateur Warwick rap group of inciting Providence Place looting". WPRI.com. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  15. Doiron, Sarah (10 June 2020). "Storefront murals now on display in Providence". WPRI.com. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  16. "Governor Raimondo activates National Guard, mayors impose curfews after night of destruction in Providence - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com.
  17. NEWS, NBC 10 (June 2, 2020). "Cities, towns issue curfews after night of unrest". WJAR.
  18. Borg, Linda. "Only 9 arrests in Providence as 10,000 join 'largest protest' in recent history". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  19. "As Providence curfew passes, Raimondo addresses protesters outside State House". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  20. "Police: Massive protest in Providence 'a demonstration for all the right reasons'". WPRI.com. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  21. "Mayor Elorza lifts Providence curfew order". WPRI.com. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  22. Parker, Paul Edward. "Raimondo discusses plan for Phase III of reopening". The Newport Daily News. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  23. "Youth organization holds peaceful protest at the State House". WPRI.com. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  24. List, Madeleine. "Protesters march to R.I. State House to mark Juneteenth". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  25. "Women lead the way". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  26. Lewis, Allie. "Locals take the street for Black Lives Matter protest in Wakefield". RICentral.com. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  27. Lewis, Allie. "Protests, discussions of racial inequality continue". RICentral.com. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  28. Protesters demonstrate against racism, police brutality on steps of Westerly post office, retrieved 2020-06-13
  29. "Peaceful march in Woonsocket, where protesters meet with police chief". 10 WJAR. June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  30. "Woonsocket protesters, police share in period of silence to honor George Floyd". YouTube. The Providence Journal. June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
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