In addition to the usual recommendations and instructions, these "How to Protest Safely" precautions were created for protesting in the time of COVID-19.  Just as major American cities began reopening their parks, restaurants, shops and businesses, the horrific killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman (and 3 other officers involved in the arrest) resulted in people taking to the streets to protest yet another police killing of an unarmed black man. This time the floodgates opened across the nation as protestors - masked for COVID protection - demanded justice. In fact, in record time, the D.A. filed charges of 3rd degree murder and manslaughter -- unheard of in cop killing cases.

 

This is only the beginning of the fight for justice for African Americans, and for people of color. Protests will and must continue. Offering COVID-19 safety precautions is the least we can do, as we -- all of us -- work to dismantle systemic racism in healthcare, housing, policing, voting and a myriad more ways that we must identify, catalog, and work to address.  THE TIME IS NOW.