Black Lives Matter sign (Michael Dorgan, Queens Post)
June 6, 2020 Staff Report
Large protests against racial injustice went off peacefully across Queens on Friday and Saturday.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets at various locations throughout the World’s Borough – replicating the mass protests seen throughout the country since the killing of George Floyd on May 25.
Hundreds of people marched westward along Skillman Avenue in Sunnyside at around 4 p.m. today shouting Floyd’s name and “black lives matter.” The march came to stop outside a memorial for Floyd that was erected at the corner of Skillman Avenue and 45th Street earlier in the week.
Great #BlackLivesMatter march today in Astoria/Sunnyside, Queens. #BLM pic.twitter.com/lPBykbhVU3
— Mack (like a truck) (@aewsome) June 6, 2020
Another protest took place outside Queens Criminal Court in Kew Gardens at lunchtime. The protesters then marched on Queens Boulevard and quickly swelled in size to over one thousand.
They chanted “no justice, no peace” and arrived at Queensboro Hall at around 3 p.m.
Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee spoke to the crowd from the front steps of the building.
#NYCPROTESTS #queensprotests Queens Blvd in Forest Hills pic.twitter.com/3ZsuwoiRkd
— Damon Hemmerdinger (@djh11375) June 6, 2020
Earlier in the day, hundreds of demonstrators turned up at Gantry Plaza State Park at around 11 a.m.
Demonstrators then took a knee or lay for nearly nine minutes in honor of George Floyd. The act represented the length of time Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck.
A man then sang Oh Freedom, a post-Civil War African-American freedom song, and the names of several African American individuals who were killed by white people were read aloud.
One woman, who was standing in front of a Black Lives Matter Queens sign, spoke to the crowd and demanded cuts to the NYPD budget. She insisted on the money be used to pay for schools and improving the better education.
A large crowd protested outside Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood at 1 p.m. today. The school has drawn criticism for its slow response in condemning the death of George Floyd.
On Friday several peaceful protests were held across western Queens.
The day was particularly significant for protesters as it would have been the 27th birthday of Breonna Taylor – a black woman who was shot eight times by police officers in Kentucky earlier this year.
Hundreds gathered at Astoria Park’s World War I memorial on Shore Boulevard to listen to speakers talk and remember Taylor.
Birthday vigil for Breonna Taylor in Astoria Park, Queens. #BLM #blacklivesmatter #Queens #BreonnaTaylor #Astoria pic.twitter.com/Yum15AUYbz
— Immortan Mack (@aewsome) June 5, 2020
A large crowd also attended a vigil at Queensbridge Park at around 6 p.m. Attendees formed a large circle on the grass and placed flowers in the center. Protesters chanted out Taylor’s name 27 times to mark her birthday. Some individuals spoke to the crowd and discussed the importance of fighting for change.
A peaceful protest was also held outside the Long Island City Courthouse in Court Square at around 6:30 p.m.
Peaceful, silent protest at Court Square in LIC, Queens. #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/FTBpuBUahs
— Amanda Andries (@BCNewsy) June 5, 2020
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39 Comments
Try to toughen up, it’s 2020
At least our Mayor continued his speech after he was booed at the George Floyd’s Brooklyn Memorial on June 6. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was booed, cursed and told to get out by many BLM protesters after telling the group he did not support defunding and abolishing the city’s police department. Its all over social media and you can see him walking away like someone kicked out of the playground. Do some research on what certain protest groups stand for and demand before looking for a photo op and thinking you can be accepted for not agreeing with some of them fully.
Hashtagger- One person shouting “blank” doesn’t define an entire movement just like one “murderous” police officer doesn’t define a police department. Give the obsessive posting a rest already, you’re ridiculous.
“A man then sang Oh Freedom, a post-Civil War African-American freedom song, and the names of several African American individuals who were killed by white people were read aloud.” because naming people killed by african american individuals doesnt matter. got it. good to know.
Frank, If you are really so concerned with the spread of the virus, you should take it up with your beloved police. They are the ones not wearing masks during these protests. The protesters are fully protected. This bio-terror is another way the NYPD is unleashing its violence and its showing true colors
Thank you NYPD and NYS troopers for keeping NYC safe this past week. You quickly put all those looters and rioters in check and as a result the protests are peaceful. Local tv media is even limiting coverage and focusing on clean up and reopening the city.
Really? Half our neighborhoods are burnt out and boarded up. Would have been more efficient use of NYPD time to just NOT murder anyone in the first place.
Probably because no one looted Dunkin Donuts
As long as the protests are peaceful and monitored by law enforcement most people are fine with it. We all have the right to voice our opinion peacefully. It also gives people something to do and helps them feel like they are making a difference. Enjoy the nice weather everyone!
Because yelling blank you white people is peaceful
Agreed, the protests were completely peaceful.
I’m sorry some words were spoken that hurt your feelings.
Good point, there was absolutely no violence, except towards your feelings.
Thousands of protesters do not represent millions of Queens. We are of all races, work hard, respect laws and law enforcement.
Hopefully the city will hire more street cleaners.
Re-open the city??? More like rebuild the city…
Yes I have been doing a lot of outdoor activities lately
I guess the chick yelling blank the police and blank you white oriole was nice and peaceful
Disgusting invasion
If Trump saw those lines of moms pushing strollers toward the white house he’d run downstairs
When will they march for David Dorn?
What about the other 14 killed in the riots?
Or do only some lives matter?
Yes, they’ve been widely covered in the news, but this is about protests. You don’t HAVE to copy/paste that on every article.
Do you know the names to two black people that have been killed by police in the last week? One was an EMT with no criminal record. xI’ll wait here.
ah, the “widely covered” news for David Dorn, his funeral was NOT attended by $ellebrities or the Al Sharptons because there was no millions of dollars attached, right? Do you know the names of black innocent people killed in the past two weeks by black criminals? Do you know the names of non black people killed by police in the past 2 weeks? Were they criminals? Maybe you are offended by “copaganda” when most police actually do their job like protecting the public, of any race. We still live in a civilized society and justice is served in the case of Floyd. Was this about race or police? They new each other, was this about 2 people who were involved in a shady club?
Keep Marching Peacefully and Be Heard! Keep busy and stay in groups. Local food shopping and outdoor activities has been a breeze compared to about 2 weeks ago around here.
So thousands of protesters clumped together during a pandemic is okay, but having a middle school graduation is a threat to the health of all mankind?
With hardly anyone working, your job is to stand in place, walk a bit and scream whatever somebody tells you to scream. I think many people will get tired of it pretty soon as the city will open up faster to get people back to school, work, dining outdoors and leisure activities.
According to court records, George Floyd was arrested, charged and convicted of a crime nine times in the past. For ex, Floyd had been sentenced to five years in prison in 2009 for aggravated assault stemming from a robbery where Floyd entered a woman’s home, pointed a gun at her stomach and searched the home for drugs and money, according to court records. Its unfortunate and tragic that his last “suspected” crime which was called in by a store owner and arrest led to his death due to malice or incompetence by a Minneapolis police officer(s). Autopsy results show George Floyd had COVID-19, meth & fentanyl in his system.
Thanks for the factoids bro! He was murdered. You don’t get to murder people you don’t like, it’s this thing called “due process” you really ought to learn about
We also now have more police patrolling the streets which is what we always wanted. Thank you.
All these protests might help people lose some weight and make them less vulnerable to the virus especially in high infected neighborhoods. Its a good thing and hopefully will last all summer. Its safer for the rest of us also because more people are able to be monitored on the streets by police at one time and no one can accuse anyone of racial targeting and profiling. Always look at the bright side. The looting is over.
Will they please leave us alone now ? They have their indictments and since they were overcharged the district attorney will probably blow the case
Sick of the hatred towards the police and the rioting
These so called peaceful
Demonstrators do not care about crime victims or our quality of life
Dear #dumpdeblasio,
The protesters DO care about crime victims that is why they are marching. George Floyd was murdered by a man kneeling on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Is George Floyd not a crime victim? Ahmaud Arbery was shot while out jogging. Is Ahmaud Arbery not a crime victim? Breonna Taylor, a 26 year old EMT was shot by police in her own home. The officers have not been charged. Is Breonna Taylor not a crime victim? Tamir Rice, 12 years old, shot by a police officer. Is Tamir Rice not a crime victim? Philando Castile, 32 years old, shot during a traffic stop with his girlfriend and 4 year old daughter in the car. Is Philando Castile not a crime victim? Trayvon Martin, 17 years old, shot while walking home with a bag of skittles. Is Trayvon Martin not a crime victim? I’m sorry you feel your “quality of life” is being effected by a few protests but have you thought about the quality of life of people of color in this country? Have you? Have you considered the mass incarceration for people of color while white people who commit similar crimes go free?
I wish people protested this much when thousands of people died (and still dying) due to lack of precaution against covid19.
Activists were very vocal about the dangers. Remember when he wanted us to inject lysol?
These protests an ill-timed exercise that put everyone’s lives at risk and undermines everyone else’s efforts in a epic global emergency. It risks yet more deaths among first responders and minorities communities already disparately impacted as well as yet another crippling lockdown extension. Covid victims lives don’t matter apparently. This couldn’t have waited or taken other social distancing compliant means of protest (such as smaller assemblies <50 people) during a national emergency when cops and everyone else are under strain just to contain a lethal disease. I've no issues with protesters in normal circumstances. I get it everyone wants to reconnect and feel involved but this is disgusting in the wake of the millions of lives already lost. Don't blame China for the next wave when it occurs. In WW2 many different interest came together to put off their demands temporarily such as wage increase demands during the course of the war for example for the recognized greater goal of winning the war. Yet apparently our leaders can no longer coherently respond or prioritize our interests anymore. Pure madness.
I cant believe how people have become, floyd was a career criminal putting a gun at a pregnant women belly.. and chauvin should have been fired years ago
2 people who should have never met….
You see we have this thing called “habeas corpus” where you can’t be sentenced for a crime without due process. I love our country, so I think it should be this way.
Communists are like you: Stalin send’s ’em straight to the gulag.
Strange extra-judicial murder by the police doesn’t upset you, but the much smaller crimes that you say Floyd committed DID upset you? Yikes
Hey! There ARE some sane people in Queens!
Thanks for pointing out the “peaceful” part. Don’t want to lump them in with
the thousands of rotten apples across the country causing untold damage and carnage. Nope. No siree….
Only a few “bad apples” like you said. That metaphor implies that VERY FEW of the protestors were violent at all.
It’s like the NYPD: 3 cops watched another murder a man while he was screaming “I can’t breathe” but it doesn’t make the entire NYPD bad. It’s a shame you think it does, but I respect law enforcement.
No need to write “peaceful.”