New Panthers Initiative protest sparks conversation at the Covered Bridge
Published 7:58 pm Sunday, July 5, 2020
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Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Counter-protestors like Grant Blaine explained their goal was to prevent any harm to individuals or damage to property during the protest on Saturday.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Counter-protestors gather in front of the town’s monument after rumors suggested it was at risk, as was the Covered Bridge.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Demonstrators carried signs to share their message on Saturday.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Despite arguments, conversation, and even understandings, were reached during the protest.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Protestors from the New Panthers Initiative and BLM said they gathered on Saturday for a peaceful protest.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Protestors took a knee for George Floyd.
Contributed photo(Henry Anna)
Demonstrators taking a knee and displaying signs to share their message on Saturday.
Brittnee Nave/Star Photo
Grant Blaine sat down with New Panthers Initiative members, including Andre Johnson, to speak on the protest. Conversation was sparked during the protest with information on the movement being shared and questions being answered.
July 4, 2020, was an Independence Day like no other in Elizabethton.
The New Panthers Initiative was present at the Covered Bridge, along with counter-protestors.
In the days leading up to the event, the news of protestors took the town by storm, along with rumors that the Covered Bridge could be burned. In response, counter-protestors, including Grant Blaine, arrived early to meet protestors.
“We’re hoping they go through and say what they want to say, and that they don’t come over here and tear anything up or attempt to hurt anybody,” said Blaine. “We all want to go home and spend time with our families. Shoot fireworks and things like that.”
On the other side of the bridge, protestors began to arrive. Sierra Sparks, who is not with the New Panthers but was there to support the Black Lives Matter Movement, explained that no violence from their side would be happening.
“We hope we are able to stand out here and peacefully protest the Black Lives Matter Movement,” she said. “We just want to be out here peacefully and get our message heard. There will be no violence from our side, we can guarantee that.”
Sparks said that she and her fellow protestors had been victims of threats in the days leading up to the event. She also said they are nonviolent and want the message to be heard.
“We know that all lives matter, but all lives can’t matter until black lives matter,” she said.
As the protest began police placed gates between opposing sides to mitigate violence and keep safety measures. Soon, phrases of “all lives matter” and “black lives matter” were chanted from either side. This would eventually spread to various aspects of the grounds surrounding the bridge.
Among the disagreements came dialogue among opposing sides. Those with the New Panthers Initiative walked along with gates set up to keep distance, and spoke with counter-protestors. Conversations consisted of questions and explanations into what the movement means.
Chanelle Whitaker with the New Panthers Initiative explained some of what this organization is really about and what they want others to know.
“We are nonviolent,” she explained. “We do community outreach, we feed the homeless, we are in our community all the time.”
Whitaker explained that contrary to popular belief, they do not seek media attention. She said that when they do outreach they often turn the press away because they are not doing it for the attention.
“We turn the press away when they show up to our events and we are doing good things,”’ she said. “Really all you see is when bad things are going on.”
In addition to their outreach, Whitaker said she encourages people to read the newspaper as they often do go to city meetings and meet with officials as well as police.
Members of the New Panthers and BLM went on to take a knee for George Floyd while counter-protestors said “we stand.”
The protest concluded not long after, peacefully. There were no arrests or citations.
“Come up to us and get to know us,” said Whitaker. “We don’t hate the police, we are not anti-police, we are not anti-white, it’s not that we don’t think all lives matter, it’s just for all lives to matter, black lives have to matter. That’s why we’re here, just come up and talk to us.”
