Black activists hold ‘Demand Justice’ protest in downtown SLO
Update 5:30 p.m.:
The protest has turned into a march that is moving eastbound on Monterey Street.
Original story:
A nonviolent “Demand Justice” protest related to the Black Lives Matter movement began 4 p.m. Wednesday at Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deanna Cantrell tweeted that there may be potential traffic delays in the downtown area as a result.
Black Lives Matter protests have been taking place across the nation, and in San Luis Obispo County, following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.
Protests began locally more than three weeks ago.
Since then, the San Luis Obispo City Council unanimously passed a resolution affirming racism as a public health crisis and the San Luis Obispo Police Department suspended the use of carotid restraints.
The council also urged public health officials to declare racism a public health emergency. Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said at a Wednesday news briefing that while she is not prepared to declare it a public health emergency, she is open to discussion.
Wednesday’s protest was organized by young Black community residents, according to the flyer.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 4:32 PM.
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