Did downtown SLO businesses have to board up before protests? ‘Our community has chosen fear’
Many downtown San Luis Obispo businesses boarded up their windows ahead of recent protests against racial injustice related to the death of George Floyd.
Now a group of local protesters is having conversations with business owners about the message their boarded-up windows sent.
“These rallies, these marches, these protests they’re black-led and they’re beautiful,” Michelle Arata, a San Luis Obispo resident and protester, said. ”And as you’re marching through the streets of your community and you see all these businesses boarded up, it is a visible sign our community has chosen fear and chosen to turn their backs on us.”
Arata and other community members are talking to local business owners about their response to the protests.
“We’re trying to have a dialogue around racism and privilege and what it means to be a business owner in our community and how your actions impact us even if your intentions are good,” Arata said.
Protesters across the country are leading marches and rallies for the second week after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
In San Luis Obispo, protests began on May 30 and have been held almost daily in the downtown area since then.
In some cities, protests have ended with vandalism and looting. Although that has not been the case in San Luis Obispo, rumors of violence have spread on social media.
Local protest organizers have been clear at each gathering that they intend to keep the movement peaceful.
Prior to a June 3 protest organized by community members Tianna Arata, Jalen Hamler and Xavier Moore, the city of San Luis Obispo sent out a notice suggesting that businesses prepare to close early because of the demonstration.
“The city is committed to ensuring the safety of our community members and businesses during protests,” the notice sent to businesses read. “At this time, businesses in the downtown area are currently recommended to consider closing proactively or be prepared to close your business if necessary (and) ensure all security cameras are on and alarm systems are activated.”
The city also advised business owners to call 911 if there was an alarm at their business or if there was an emergency.
“These are precautionary measures at this time,” the notice read. ”We are asking all members of our community to remain peaceful and look out for each other and our city during this difficult time.”
“We, the city, have never advised the city to board any of their windows at all. We have tried to communicate what we know about the various activities that are happening,” said Lee Johnson, San Luis Obispo interim economic development manager.
Downtown SLO stores board windows in advance of protests
Early last week, larger chain stores — including Bath and Body Works and Victoria’s Secret locations on Higuera Street — closed and put plywood across their store fronts.
Several smaller, local businesses followed suit June 3. The decision for businesses to close ahead of protests came after nearly two months of closures due to the coronavirus pandemic and shelter-at-home order.
Maryalice Hamilton, the co-owner of Blackwater clothing store, said she had contacted the San Luis Obispo Police Department about posts she saw on social media about looting and vandalism. She said police told her that they too had seen the rumors, and that businesses should take precautions.
“There was a lot of fear in the downtown business owners, just coming out of two months of COVID-19 (closures) and then just opening up your doors and then having that fear of having your business looted was overwhelming,” Hamilton said.
On the night of June 3, Hamilton said she and her daughter, Erica, put butcher paper over the windows to block the view of merchandise. But they felt as if they were sending the wrong message.
“Something wasn’t right about it so the next day I was like, ‘If we’re going to put up butcher paper, we’re going to put up the names of people who have died from police brutality in the window,’” Erica Hamilton said.
She said it took her about three hours to research the names of people who have died as a result of police brutality and educate herself about them.
“Now when I see these names on the news, I know who they are and what happened,” Hamilton said.
Local businesses reopen, chain stores remain closed
Most local businesses have since taken down their boards, while chain businesses have remained closed.
Tony Scharr, general manager at Habitat Home and Garden, said the Marsh Street furniture store boarded up its windows June 3 and took the boards down the next day.
“Our position is, be cautiously optimistic,” Scharr said “As more information comes out, we’ve seen what the protests are about and what the people in the protests are about. Obviously, we feel that the business was OK.”
One Marsh Street business that recently fell prey to vandalism opted not to board its windows.
On June 1, vandals used BB or pellet guns to shatter windows at Shoe Palace, Central Coast Surfboards and Founders Community Bank in an incident unrelated to that night’s protest, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said. Police later arrested four minors following a second commercial burglary at a San Luis Obispo smoke shop.
Instead of boarding up windows, Central Coast Surfboards owner Scott Smith said several employees sat out in front of his business each day and hung out, cheering as marches passed by. He said the vandalism could have happened to anyone at any time.
“I opted not to (board up), kind of put my faith in humanity,” Smith said.
Protesters: Shop owners’ actions unnecessary
Michelle Arata said boarding up business windows during protests was unnecessary and that business owners’ fears of looting was not based on what was happening locally.
“If you’re using ‘what ifs’ in the name of fear to not listen to a message of unity or Black Lives Matter, then that needs to be examined, there is a moral compass that needs to be examined, racism that needs to be examined,” Arata said.
She noted that businesses did not board up prior to annual Women’s March rallies or in advance of local protests in support of ending San Luis Obispo County’s shelter-at-home order.
After Arata and her group spoke to many local business owners on Monday, she said a majority agreed that their actions were unnecessary. Others refrained from participating in the conversation, she said.
“The last thing we want to see in San Luis Obispo is businesses downtown shut down,” Arata said.
Arata and other community members said they were delivering a letter to all downtown businesses Tuesday regarding the matter.
The letter thanks those who have supported the Black Lives Matter movement openly — as well as those who have reopened after acknowledging how the decision to board up their windows came across negatively to protesters.
“We are all learning and unlearning together. We can be better as a community,” the letter concludes.
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 2:45 PM.
