Provincetown joins nationwide Black Lives Matter protests

Alex Darus
Banner Staff
Words echo from the late George Floyd in this protest sign on MacMillan Pier Sunday night.

PROVINCETOWN — At least 100 people drove from the Harbor Hotel to MacMillan Pier as part of a Black Lives Matter demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer last week.

Similar protests took place around the country, with thousands of people condemning the history of unequal treatment of African Americans by police.

The Provincetown protest began with about a hundred cars at the Harbor Hotel at 698 Commercial St. at about 7 p.m. The group drove down Commercial Street, engaging in chants such as “white silence is violence” and “stop killing black people” and waving signs.

Then, everyone made their way to MacMillan Pier, where they conducted a socially-distant vigil and moment of silence for those killed by police officers. They read off the names of several victims and displayed those names on the pier. Many people in attendance waved signs protesting racism and wore face masks due to the coronavirus.

Speakers included Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, and the Rev. Brenda Haywood, the founder of Racial Justice Provincetown at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House.

There was a similar protest in Wellfleet on Sunday. Truro did not see any demonstrations, according to the police department.