TAMPA, Fla — At Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa, protesters of all ages and races met for a peaceful march.
“We wanted it to specifically be for people like us," organizer, Christopher Dawson said.
The dad to a 5-year-old and 5 month-old planned the march with his wife and some friends. His kids were a part of the march. One family in a mix of protesters, one of the most diverse crowds a Tampa Bay protest has seen. In both age and race.
Alethia Dawson, a co-organizer, was happy to help create a movement where her daughter could see how many people are asking for change.
“A place where she can see white people, black people, brown people, all colors of people, coming together and saying that this isn’t right," she said.
Protesters marched to the 13th District Court where they laid on their stomachs, chanting some of George Floyd's final words.
The protest remained peaceful from start to finish. Marchers stayed on the sidewalk and abided by traffic signals.
“We were amazed but not surprised by the amount of people that showed up," Dawson said. "Because what we believe, is the heart of what a lot of people in this city want. Is that we want it done peacefully, but we also want our voices to be heard.”
Those voices saying change needs to come, now.
“It’s not a black against white thing," protester Chayla Lee said. "It’s everyone against racism.”
Some of the protesters we spoke to said that they were happy to see Mayor Castor and Chief Dugan come to the table today. But they are waiting to see what changes actually come to the city, and when.
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