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Rally for justice meets Sunday traffic at roundabout

Bill Reynolds | Jun 10, 20200
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NO MASQUERADE – Peaceful protesters observed social distancing and donned masks when they gathered Sunday morning at the roundabout entrance to La Conner. Despite the facial coverings there was no concealing their cause – bringing public awareness to the ills of racial injustice. – Photo courtesy of Ivan Carlson, III

There were no complaints here about Sunday’s weather.

But there was still reason to protest.

About 20 people gathered with signs and placards for two hours under sunny skies that morning at the roundabout on the east edge of town to join the rest of the world in condemning racial injustice and police misconduct.

The local event was intended to be small and was selectively promoted, primarily by private messages and texting, participants said.

The reaction by passing traffic was mostly positive, they reported.

Attendees were greeted by motorists who honked horns, offered fists of solidarity and gave them approving thumbs-up.

Support wasn’t unanimous, however.

Some told the Weekly News that occasionally drivers sneered, turned thumbs-down or flashed half a peace sign.

One estimated reactions were 80 per cent positive.

Another participant, who asked not to be identified or directly quoted, said La Conner is fortunate to be removed from the conflict and civil strife seen elsewhere, but that the nation could benefit from increased citizen oversight of law enforcement.

As was the case during a peaceful march organized here a week ago Tuesday by Audrey Liddell, protesters donned masks to help curb spread of the coronavirus. They also practiced social distancing.

Town Administrator Scott Thomas learned of the protest beforehand and urged those taking part to exercise caution.

“The sidewalks do not go all the way around the roundabout,” Thomas noted, “and cars go through there very fast.”

By most accounts, though, Sunday morning traffic at the roundabout slowed down enough for motorists to read the several different signs.

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At noon last Thursday, June 4th, an animated, peaceful crowd of around three hundred people occupied the sidewalk on both sides of Burlington Boulevard between Gilkey and Andis roads. They came together to protest both the death of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of the police and the continued existence of systemic racism in the United States.

Some businesses along the street had boarded up their windows in fear of looting, but the members of this diverse gathering showed no interest in violence, and the few Burlington police officers present remained well back from the crowd. Burlington mayor Steve Sexton and police chief Mike Luvera also looked on.

Shortly after noon two of the demonstrators occupied the center lane of the Boulevard and led the crowd in chants for about two hours. Most participants waved homemade signs, with messages such as “Justice for George Floyd,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Stop Police Violence.” The reaction from passing traffic was mostly positive, as numerous drivers honked their horns and waved, adding to the energy of the already lively event.

Many in the crowd identified themselves as students from local high schools and Skagit Valley College, but the gathering also included many parents with children, workers on their lunch hour and a good number of seniors.

The size of the crowd made social distancing hard to maintain, but most participants did wear masks and did their best to honor the organizers’ wishes that people show respect for others’ personal space. By two o’clock the crowd began to dwindle, but a sizeable number of participants, mostly young, stayed on late into the afternoon.

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