For the third straight weekend, peaceful Columbus area protests against police brutality take place

Protesters chanting “no justice, no peace” and “Black lives matter” flooded parts of the Phenix City and Columbus area for the third straight weekend Saturday.

The first protest took place Saturday morning in Phenix City, beginning at the Russell County Courthouse and ending just outside of the Phenix City Amphitheater.

Phenix City Mayor Eddie Lowe, city manager Wallace Hunter and new Central High School football coach Patrick Nix were among those attending.

“We have to do more praying and more coming together,” Lowe told the crowd that numbered more than 150. “Let’s continue to lift other people up.”

Members of both the Phenix City NAACP chapter and local NPHC fraternity and sorority groups also participated.

Saturday’s gathering had more religious roots in comparison to those that occurred previously in the area.

At least four local religious leaders prayed for the community and for the family of George Floyd, whose death while in police custody in Minneapolis sparked protests across the nation and world.

The gathering also drew a number of younger people, which Hunter noted when it was his turn to speak.

“The Millennials are going to take us where we couldn’t take ourselves,” he said. “Generation X and the Millennials are getting ready to take us somewhere we never dreamed of.”

He went on to say that he will have the opportunity to see those changes - unlike his father, grandfather and other family members who died before those changes were realized.

Many of the Phenix City participants also attended the Columbus gathering Saturday afternoon.

Hosted by the local organization “A March for Justice,” it saw more than 1,000 people march from the Columbus Government Center to the Riverwalk and back.

Brunch and lunch patrons looked on from the sidewalk as protesters made their way down parts of Broadway and 10th Street. The names of police brutality victims, including Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor, were chanted.

A moment of silence followed that march along with a prayer by local pastors, including Grant Collins of the Fountain City Church.

“We are listening. We are learning. We are here,” Collins said. “I pray we can step forward together into a better moment.”

Protest organizer Alex Ward said she was overwhelmed by the turnout from the Columbus community.

Ward hopes that people continue to act and support Black people beyond showing up at the protest.

“I want people to have the hard conversations and I hope it doesn’t stop here,” Ward said.

“This is a fight. This is longevity. It’s going to take a while.”

This story was originally published June 13, 2020 at 2:44 PM.