SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WTVF) — Hundreds gathered in Spring Hill to encourage unity in a peaceful gathering. There was no looting and no violence, and organizers say their goal was to speak out against racial injustice.
“I’m just honored to be able to say I stood up for George Floyd today," said Taneka Sandager.
Sandager said within the first five minutes of being on Main Street, she already had an upsetting conversation about race and Black Lives Matter.
“And that’s why we’re emotional today, we’re not here for that, we’re here for George Floyd and we all know all lives matter, but today it’s about George Floyd," she explained.
In the middle of the event, people laid down in a demonstration to show how George Floyd, a black man in Minnesota, died at the hands of a white police officer. Nathan Turner said police and race relations need to improve.
“The system’s broken,” Turner said, “I just feel like my freedom isn’t the same as your freedom and I wish it was the same.”
It appeared police had positive interactions with the group.
Annie Patton said, “Black Americans, white Americans, let’s clothe our hearts with love, peace, caring!”
People at the assembly hope to shed light on racial injustice and what’s going on in our country.
Sandager said, “Spring Hill Tennessee is about love, Spring Hill Tennessee is about peace and unity, and so this is the love that you see in Spring Hill. We’re not going to riot, we’re not going to tear up buildings, we’re not going to throw anything into Walgreens, this is not who we are. We are peacefully protesting.”
When drivers shouted derogatory things at the group of people from their vehicles, organizers encouraged them to be silent in an effort to stomp out hate.
