Green Dreamz marches in Columbia for social justice and racial equality

About 15 protesters (plus half a dozen legal observers watching from the sidewalks) marched through Columbia streets to borough hall on Tuesday afternoon in support of social justice and racial equality. With the help of a bullhorn, protesters chanted "question-and-answer" slogans to bring attention to those issues.

The group was part of Green Dreamz, a "BLM, Lancaster rooted organization. Founded off of love and fighting for injustice and Inequality for all POC," according to the group's Facebook page. Many from the group also attended Tuesday night's borough council meeting to voice concerns and make demands.

Earlier in the day, about 30 participants gathered at Makle Park to hear speakers and engage in activities. Several officers on bike patrol kept an eye on the group from behind the former Shawnee Fire Company on Union Street, while two ever-present drones hovered overhead. The drones were apparently directed from a command center at Holy Trinity Cemetery on South 9th Street, where 8 to 10 men in plain clothes scrutinized drone monitors. As the march proceeded, police officers followed the group to borough hall, while at least one officer filmed the participants.

 This man watched the group at Makle Park for most of the afternoon, occasionally engaging in dialogue with attendees. Note the firearm on his right hip. His shirt carries the name "Oath Keepers." According to Wikipedia, "Oath Keepers is an anti-government American far-right organization associated with the militia movement." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, "The Oath Keepers, which claims tens of thousands of present and former law enforcement officials and military veterans as members, is one of the largest radical antigovernment groups in the U.S. today. While it claims only to be defending the Constitution, the entire organization is based on a set of baseless conspiracy theories about the federal government working to destroy the liberties of Americans."

 Shown above is one of two drones that continuously monitored the gathering at Makle Park.

The drones appeared to be controlled from this command center in Holy Trinity Cemetery on South 9th Street. About 8 to 10 men in plain clothes were stationed there.

The man in the dark shirt appears to be controlling a drone while watching a monitor.

A bike patrol from Columbia Borough and another department watched the group at Makle from behind the former Shawnee Fire Company. About half a dozen officers on bikes were present during the day.

 Protestors marched from Makle Park to borough hall at about 6:30 p.m.

 The group temporarily stationed themselves across from the police station on Locust Street before crossing.

The group protested in front of the police station (above) before lying on the sidewalk (shown below) for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in observance of the amount of time that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, causing his death.

 Many of the protesters attended the evening's borough council meeting to voice concerns and make demands and left shortly thereafter.

MORE DETAILS WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW.

About Town July 26, 2020

This week's photos of Columbia
(Tap or click on each photo to see a larger, sharper view.)

Flying high once again

Little lost animals at 4th & Locust

Sunflower in an unnamed public alley

Workers installed a window grate at Stover's to help prevent further break-ins at the store. 

The window shown above was broken out on June 21 during the second of two break-ins.

The window next to the entrance door (far right, under the awning) was broken out on June 5, and a grate has been added there, also.

Sign checker checking a sign

A peek inside the market

A stash of bricks further down the alley

Dumpsters in the back yard

Donation bin -

Currently, there are four in town.

Possible destinations

Edible garden, pollinator friendly

Corn in Avenue X

Coming down at . . .

9th & Manor

Fire truck ahead

Reserved

Troweling at 403 Locust

They're back!

Cleaning 'em up

Surveying

Closed until further notice

Farther over on 462, there's a plan in effect. 

Visitors at the cul-de-sac

Out-of-control weeds continue to plague the borough.

Sales

Hanging out at the Turkey Hill gas pumps
(Chestnut Street)

Sticker shock

Is that a thing?

Skateboarders

The mayfly/lighting study continues. 

The bugs seem to prefer the white light, if the piles are any indication.

They don't seem to like the yellow lights as much.

(Let's go with the yellow!)

Checking the results

Up on the rooftop click click click

Dig it!

Beating the heat

Who says unicorns don't exist?

New sign for TES

Where are the awnings?

"Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come."