by Dewayne Bingham, Assistant Photo Editor
Following months of COVID-19 related isolation and the gruesome, widely broadcast killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police—a sequence of events many have referred to as a perfect storm—local communities across the country have united under the common goal of ending police brutality and systemic racism.
Citizens young and old, from all racial backgrounds and walks of life, stood together this summer to demand justice for the countless people of color who have been unjustly jailed, beaten and murdered by police in recent years. They cried for justice, speaking and immortalizing the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and those who, like Reginald Arrington Jr, were brutalized in our own city.
Across the country, however, activists and their sentiments have faced immense opposition. The uncomfortable conversations they’ve put forth surrounding criminal justice reform and the reallocation of funds from police departments into their communities, along with their peaceful demonstrations, have often been mischaracterized and wrongly associated with violent rioting and looting. The reality, though, is that around 95% of demonstrations nationwide have been nonviolent.
Despite opposition from local police, conservative counter-protesters and deniers of the systemic issues plaguing our justice system, activists and Black leadership in Chattanooga have tirelessly and almost entirely peacefully pushed for positive change since decades of injustice boiled over in May. With a historically divided election approaching and many more conversations to be had, it doesn’t appear that their fight will be waning with the summer heat.
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DJ Hale leads a group of peaceful demonstrators across the Market Street Bridge while flying an American flag. Chattanoogans organized and participated in non-violent protests for several weeks straight following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota Police Officers. Saturday, May 30, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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Kris Holloway chants and raises his fist as Chattanooga Police try moving protesters down Frazier Avenue. Chattanoogans organized and participated in non-violent protests for several weeks straight following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota Police Officers. Saturday, May 30, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student Marlon Carter (center) marches in support of Black lives during a peaceful protest organized by I Can’t Breathe Chattanooga. Demonstrators marched from Miller Park to the Hamilton County Jail and Courts Building on Wednesday, careful to stay on sidewalks after several peaceful protesters were arrested in July for obstructing a downtown roadway. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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A Hamilton County Police Officer overlooks a crowd of peaceful protesters at the Hamilton County Courthouse holding a rubber bullet gun, minutes before tear gas was deployed to disperse the non-violent crowd. Chattanoogans organized and participated in non-violent protests for several weeks straight following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota Police Officers. Sunday, May 31, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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Chattanooga City Council candidate Marie Mott delivers a speech at the Hamilton County Courts Building. Mott and Cameron “C-Grimey” Williams, leaders of social justice organization I Can’t Breathe Chattanooga, have been organizing protests against police brutality and systemic racism since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in May. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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Protesters raise their fists and chant loudly on Houston St. to call the attention of Sunday brunch-goers to social issues which include racial injustice and police brutality. Participants who marched in Sunday’s peaceful protest organized by I Can’t Breathe Chattanooga walked down city sidewalks next to bikers who slowed traffic to call attention to these social issues. Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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Grason Harvey marches with her sign toward the Hamilton County Courthouse after tear gas was deployed to disperse a crowd of peaceful protesters. Chattanoogans organized and participated in non-violent protests for several weeks straight following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota Police Officers. Sunday, May 31, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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A photographer kicks a canister of tear gas back toward the Hamilton County Courthouse after Hamilton County Police Officers deployed tear gas on a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. Chattanoogans organized and participated in non-violent protests for several weeks straight following the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota Police Officers. Sunday, May 31, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)
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A demonstrator raises his skateboard, which reads “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” at the Hamilton County Courts Building. Wednesday’s protest was organized by I Can’t Breathe Chattanooga, a social justice organization led by Cameron “C-Grimey” Williams and Chattanooga City Council candidate Marie Mott, which has held protests against police brutality and systemic racism since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police in May. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 (Photo by Dewayne Bingham)