“If you’re a person of color! To the middle! If you’re white! Go to the edges!”

Just want to add that as of now, this is STILL a peaceful protest! Many people working hard to keep it that way!

Volunteers passing out bottles of water to protestors. Drivers honking to show their support.

I asked around if anyone know who the organizers are. “No idea.” “The internet, man.” “Who knows?” Apparently the organizers told protestors they’ll be kicked out if they get violent.

“You will not hurt anyone! You will not destroy property! Who are we here for?” “George Floyd!”

Many knees down in front of city hall. Still maintaining peace. “Hands up! Don’t Shoot!”

Military police inching in.

“Keep the peace! Keep the peace!”

There are other protestors in front of them warning them to stay back. Now they’re chanting, “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”

My gosh.

Curfew is at 6 pm. We’re about an hour away from that. My phone is running out of juice. Crowd is inching closer and closer to city hall. Praying this stays peaceful.

I’m worried bc one of the guys here is carrying a gun. I told him, “Please don’t use it.” He smiles: “Not unless I got to.” He adds, “I won’t use it on you.” I’ve seen him yelling f-bombs all afternoon at cops. Many are watching him, pulling him away when he gets aggressive.

Guy with loudspeaker now addressing the crowd: “We do not want anyone rioting or looting! If you’re going to loot, get the F out of here!” He goes on to say, “We’re going to change this. We are going to vote! Be calm, stay calm! Think think think!”

“This is a peaceful protest. They told us we can’t do it and here we are! This is an opportunity for our generation to decide who is going to be Americans! Be angry! But sin not!” Crowd cheer.

We’re ending the protest with a moment of silence on the knee: “I beg you— make it home safe tonight. Remember, no looting!”

We are heading home. My husband gave up his birthday celebration today to accompany me to the protest and we haven’t even had time for lunch. Praying for my city tonight. God, we need you so much. Hear our cries as you heard the cries of the Israelites in Egypt.

Adding something from my notes and recording: Met a young woman who said she got shot w rubber bullet at yesterday's Fairfax protest while trying to help someone who got shot in the head. Shows me her big bruise on her side.

She says: "We're not here to start violence. And if it starts getting ugly, my voice! I'm going to get loud. I'm going to tell them not to. Because this is OUR protest. It's not OK for them to take that away from us."

Met another young guy, who showed me bruises across his body from police rubber bullets. His chin is all stitched up. He's real angry, says he wants to break s**t up: "They gotta feel it. Once they feel it in the economy, they'll realize our lives are not to play with."