Carlsbad sees 'peaceful' protest in wake of George Floyd death in Minneapolis
Adrian HeddenEditor's note: This story was updated June 2, 2020 to reflect a correction in a paraphrase of Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage's May 28 Facebook post. In the post, Cage says the actions of the officer which resulted in the death of George Floyd were "unconscionable and not rooted in ANY type of law enforcement training I’ve ever been exposed to." The original report's paraphrase mistakenly characterized Floyd's death as accidental.
After watching video of George Floyd’s fatal arrest in Minneapolis, 21-year-old Aldyn Hutchins and 22-year-old Micah Calderon knew that they had to do something.
The two friends took to the streets on Thursday outside the Eddy County Courthouse in downtown Carlsbad, holding up signs and calling for justice.
They organized a second demonstration the following Saturday, with Hutchins' girlfriend Kylinda Rodriguez, and drew about 80 participants, mostly younger than 25.
Floyd, an African American man, was killed May 25 during his arrest while officers from the Minneapolis Police Department responded to a report of counterfeit money.
Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck in the roadway for about nine minutes despite pleas from Floyd that he couldn’t breathe.
MORE:What we know about the death of George Floyd
Floyd was later pronounced dead, and Chauvin was arrested and charged with 3rd degree murder.
Protests, violence erupt across U.S.
The incident sparked two days of protests across the U.S. in major cities from New York to Los Angeles, as demonstrators expressed anger over the incident many saw as racially motivated.
Some protests turned violent, as participants damaged property and clashed with police.
Curfews were enacted in Minneapolis and other major cities, and police reportedly used force on residents to enforce such mandates.
The events were widely shared via social media, as many argued that police had become corrupted by bigotry and violence while others characterized the demonstrators as anarchists.
President Donald Trump, while voicing concern over Floyd’s death and calling for a federal investigation, condemned protesters as many gathered near the White House and seemed to encourage counter protesters in Washington, D.C.
PREVIOUSLY:White House locked down as protests over Floyd's death reach capital
“The professionally managed so-called “protesters” at the White House had little to do with the memory of George Floyd. They were just there to cause trouble. The @SecretService handled them easily. Tonight, I understand, is MAGA NIGHT AT THE WHITE HOUSE???” Trump tweeted on Saturday as demonstrations grew near the White House.
But in Carlsbad, Hutchins said the demonstration largely remained peaceful, as a man confronting the protesters and using racial slurs quickly left the area.
Demonstrators gathered on the courthouse lawn from about 7:30 to 9:30 that night, holding a nine-minute moment of silence to symbolize the amount of time Floyd’s neck was pinned to the ground by officer before his death.
“We emphasized that we wanted it to be peaceful,” Hutchins said. “Coming from Carlsbad, I support our law enforcement. We wanted to show our support (with other demonstrators) but not tear down our city.”
'We want to see the change'
Hutchins said he was shocked to see the video of Floyd’s arrest, and that it changed his perspective on racial injustice occurring throughout the nation.
He said rural communities like Carlsbad often hold the misconception that racism is not present, and only an issue in bigger cities.
“We want it to be known that it’s happening. Even in our small rural community, it’s here,” he said. “That was the first time I’d heard the N-word used in hate. It was pretty intense. It changed some perspective for me.”
While he does support law enforcement, Hutchins said racism has been apparent at departments across the country and often leads to police brutality.
“I am a big believer that this is happening to everybody, all colors,” Hutchins said. "I’m a supporter of law enforcement, but this needs to be stopped. Police need to take more classes and do more training. It’s real. It was brutal.”
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The youth present at the protest was a sign, Hutchins said, that young adults are increasingly calling for change, growing up in the age of social media and more exposed to the incidents of racial injustice around the country.
“We’re building a future for ourselves,” he said. “We want to see the change. The younger generation is very open. They want to see change.”
It’s a trend Calderon said has led to more activism by his age group, remembering the death of Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager who was killed by George Zimmerman while walking home in his Sanford, Florida, neighborhood in 2012.
MORE:George Floyd video adds to trauma: 'When is the last time you saw a white person killed online?'
Martin’s death brought on a similar outcry of racial injustice, and Calderon, who was 14 at the time, said it was the first time many of today’s young adults saw the horrors of racial violence.
“We as the younger generation have seen these types of videos. It’s just too many times that we’ve seen this. It just keeps happening,” he said. “Seeing it on social media, we felt kind of helpless. We really want to see conditions improve for minorities, Black Americans. Even if we’re not Black, we still want to show our support.”
In the future, Calderon said he hoped to open a dialogue with local law enforcement, and said he was “hurt” that the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office and Carlsbad Police Department did not participate in Saturday’s demonstration.
“When you see other departments marching with demonstrations, it suggests they support the community,” he said. “Complacency equals complicity. When our departments don’t want to get involved, it seems like fear. We don’t want anything negative, but we do want to communicate and have conversation.”
Eddy County, Carlsbad leaders speak out
In a Thursday Facebook post, Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage said Floyd’s race should not be the focus of the incident.
MORE:Police across US speak out against Minneapolis police in George Floyd death
“We need to stop making this about race. A HUMAN BEING lost his life in a needless manner,” Cage wrote. “If the officer who caused his death was racist, then so be it. That’s despicable and compounds the crime, but I don’t believe it should be the focus.
“I have no idea what it feels like to be a black person. I’m white. I get it. But cops come in all colors and nationalities and just because there are some bad eggs in the basket that are brutal and predatory doesn’t mean that everyone in the profession sucks.”
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway said some of the protesters were high school students, and commended them for holding a peaceful event while condemning racism.
"The current and former students who gathered on the courthouse lawn Saturday night were peacefully exercising their right to free speech as they held a demonstration and vigil for the brutal and tragic death of George Floyd," Janway said.
"The Carlsbad Police Department intervened at the scene to make sure our students who were protesting were protected. We are thankful the students who showed up at the courthouse lawn provided an example on how to push for positive change. To everyone, please pray for America."
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.