Peaceful protest in Santa Maria followed by vandalism
Approximately 400 people gathered in front of Santa Maria City Hall for a peaceful protest Sunday afternoon before marching in the traffic lanes in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man who died at the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer on Memorial Day.
Later, after many demonstrators left, the peaceful event took on a different personality — leading to vandalism, a small fire and a stabbing in the area.
The actions in the name of Black Lives Matter attracted people of all races who called for reforms with chants of “Say his name!” answered by “George Floyd!”
Floyd, 46, died May 25 while in police custody. A bystander’s viral cellphone video showed Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the handcuffed man’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he repeatedly exclaimed, “I can’t breathe.” Floyd was nonresponsive for the last three minutes of the video.
Chauvin, 44, and three other officers were fired the next day, and Chauvin was arrested and charged May 29 with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
The incident prompted revulsion across the nation, along with peaceful protests against racism and police brutality — and widespread rioting.
In addition to the Santa Maria protest, peaceful demonstrations were held Sunday in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo and in Lompoc on Saturday.
More than once, Santa Maria organizers called for participants to kneel on one knee — symbolic of the action that led to Floyd’s death as well as the controversial protest waged by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to highlight police brutality.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus public health emergency, most in attendance wore various types of masks. A bottle of hand sanitizer was taped to an anti-tobacco sign in front of City Hall.
Speakers also urged demonstrators to maintain social distancing but most people stood closer than 6 feet.
At one point, an organizer used the microphone to issue a warning about instigators in the crowd and calling for protesters to avoid reacting.
For some participants, including members of Showing Up for Racial Justice, Sunday’s protest marked the second action in a week. Several protesters attended last weekend’s demonstration at the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex to highlight inmate conditions there.
As protesters stood in front of City Hall, passing drivers honked horns or held cellphones to record the protest. One motorcyclist drove by several times, sometimes performing a wheelie while doing so.
Nearly two hours into the protest, the crowd began marching south on Broadway to Stowell Road a mile away before turning north. People chanted and waved signs while walking in traffic lanes along the route as vehicles traveled behind them.
Other than occasional patrol officers driving by, Santa Maria police remained away from the scene.
On Sunday, the department posted on its Twitter feed that the agency “wants to thank our community for the peaceful protest.”
“We know our community and know we will get through this together,” the post said. “Thank you for your cooperation and support.”
Peaceful Santa Maria protest turned violent
In the evening, people gathered to sit in the middle of the intersection at Broadway and Cook Street as drivers revved their engines and screeched tires in support. Even as protesters took up spots in the intersection Sunday evening, police stayed more than a block away.
As of 9 p.m., a small group remained at the scene and removed at least one American flag displayed on the corner.
The group eventually moved toward Macy’s at the Santa Maria Town Center before returning to the intersection of Broadway and Cook Street.
As protesters took up position near Macy’s to shoot off fireworks and spin out, a black man on a bicycle noted the action more than a block away.
“This is uncalled for,” he said. “It is not honoring (Floyd) at all.”
The Sunday night crowd appeared to include newcomers who had not participated in the earlier events.
Late Sunday, some members in the crowd targeted an American flag flying on the corner, and a small fire burned in the roadway.
Veterans vowed on social media to replace the flag as others worked to identify the people responsible for the vandalism.
Santa Maria police also confirmed that a male victim was stabbed in the area. He was transported by Calstar medical helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Additional information, including extent of injuries, was not immediately available.
Police also said some of the demonstrators had entered the Santa Maria Town Center Mall as of late Sunday night.
Due to riots in other communities and local protests, Target and other businesses reportedly closed early in Santa Maria on Sunday.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 9:21 AM.