After George Perry Floyd was killed by police during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, people all over the US flooded the streets to protest police violence against black people and demand racial justice. However, those who came to protest near the White House for the ninth consecutive day found its premises surrounded by a tall, 1.7-mile-long metal fence. On June 5th, it was also reinforced by concrete barriers and had policemen guarding it.
However, the protesters neither lowered their signs, nor their voices and found a way to make the best of the situation. They started putting their signs and posters up on the fence, eventually turning it into a 1.7-mile-long crowd-sourced monument to racial justice, as well as a beautiful memorial of those who have lost their lives to the injustice.
The 1.7-mile-long fence that surrounds the White House has been recently upgraded to a BLM memorial
George Floyd’s untimely death by the hand of police caused the last tiny droplet of patience the people in the USA still had to vanish and the nation sprung into massive protests all over the country. People flooded the streets demanding racial justice and justice for those whose lives were lost at the hands of injustice.
Image credits: AlexandraChalup
Protesters in Washington put up their signs calling for racial justice all over the fence
Image credits: AlexandraChalup
However, those who arrived to protest at the White House in Washington one day found out that a tall metal fence was encircling it. The fence was guarded by policemen and supported by concrete barriers. While some may have expected the protesters to react violently and try to take down the fence, they did the complete opposite.
Image credits: AlexandraChalup
There are many signs pleading for justice for black people killed by the police
Image credits: AlexandraChalup
Instead of voicing any dissatisfaction with the newly built fence, the protesters made the best of the situation and started putting their signs, posters, paintings, balloons, and whatnot up on it, eventually turning it into a 1.7-mile-long crowd-sourced monument to racial justice, as well as a beautiful memorial of those who have lost their lives to the injustice.
Image credits: LindsayAWatts
There are paintings of the late George Floyd, whose death was the last drop of racial injustice that sprung the nation to protest
Image credits: rebtanhs
Marisa Iati from the Washington Post posted some pictures of the fence-turned-monument and wrote: “It’s the tenth day of #BlackLivesMatter protests in D.C., and the atmosphere outside of the White House is very relaxed. Hundreds of people of various ages and races are milling around, taking photos and carrying signs. I can’t see any uniformed police from where I’m standing.”
Image credits: rebtanhs
Along with the portraits of George Floyd, one can also spot a painting of Emmett Till
Image credits: rebtanhs
She also posted some opinions on the matters that she managed to get from protesters outside the White House. Marcus Bolston told her his multiracial 4-year-old asks him about what she sees on TV. “We tell her that black people are not being treated fairly. And she says 'Like when someone doesn’t want to be your friend?' And I tell her, 'Yeah, kind of like that.'”
Image credits: rebtanhs
Till was a black 14-year-old boy who was lynched after he allegedly offended a white woman back in 1955
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Michael A. Jackson apparently felt baffled upon seeing the fence encircling the White House and belted “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.’” He went on to ask the president to “take this fence down and heal this nation.” Another man deemed him right and said "Sir, you’re completely right. This fence is a metaphor for his entire presidency.”
Image credits: hannah_natanson
There are also balloons here and there brought in memory of Breonna Taylor, who would have turned 27 last week
Image credits: hannah_natanson
Image credits: hannah_natanson
The tall metal fence was erected a couple of days ago to protect the White House premises from the protesters
Image credits: hannah_natanson
Image credits: hannah_natanson
Image credits: marisa_iati