Nearly 2,000 March Against Racism In Concord: Watch

CONCORD, NH — Close to 2,000 Black Lives Matters protesters marched from the West End of the city to police headquarters and then to the Statehouse to honor the life of George Floyd and others while calling for an end to police brutality and racism Saturday.

The march was organized by Concord High School students, a former Merrimack Valley High School student who was targeted for taking a knee during a football game in 2017, with a little help from members of the American Friends Service Committee.

At Memorial Field, marchers were prepped about the route and the behavior expected during the march — be peaceful, do not cause problems, and no weapons. Marchers then headed out south on South Fruit Street — with Concord police cruisers leading the way and clearing traffic for them. The marchers varied their chants from "No justice, no peace, no racist police," to "Black lives matter," and "Say his name, George Floyd."

After marching down Clinton Street, north onto South Street, and Green Street, they stopped in front of police headquarters for a moment of reflection. Concord Deputy Police Chief John Thomas, State Trooper Sgt. Maurice Sampson of Troop D, Concord's troop, and other officers, met the marchers. The marchers then took a knee while the officers bowed their heads in solidarity.

After about 30 to 45 seconds, chants of "Take the knee," directed at the officers, began murmuring through the crowd, getting louder and louder — but police stood their ground. After a smattering of "boos," marchers began chanting loudly, "We won't forget."

Thomas then joined the marchers as they walked down Capitol Street to the Statehouse plaza.

Hundreds waiting for the marchers to arrive at the Statehouse cheered them as they made their way to building's steps.

About 10 people were holding a counter-protest in front of the veterans memorial and there was some back and forth between them and a handful of Black Lives Matter protesters.

"Why don't you leave?," yelled one man with a "Black Lives Matter" sign.

"Why don't you go home?," a counter protester said. "We have a right to be here … all lives matter."

A Concord police officer and a state trooper quickly got between the two yelling parties and it went no further.

Samuel Alicea of Boscawen, the MV football player who was targeting for taking a knee at a football game in 2017, read the names of those who had lost their lives to violence and police brutality as the bells of St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Centre Street rang its bells after each name.

Marchers then headed back to Memorial Field and ended their event at just before 4 p.m.

Concord police estimate the crowd size to be between 1,500 and 1,800 people. There were no incidents reported at post time.

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