UPDATED: Demonstrators gather on St. George Boulevard in solidarity with George Floyd protests

ST. GEORGE — Crowds gathered along St. George Boulevard just a couple blocks south of the St. George Police Department on Saturday to demonstrate in solidarity with national protesters airing their grievances in the death of George Floyd.

Update May 30, 9:45 p.m. Additional information added including protest size, majority of protest dispersing.

The protest is one of a handful held throughout the day around the downtown area that drew large crowds, including one at St. George City Hall earlier in the day billed as the “Take a Knee” demonstration under the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

St. George Police estimated 200 people were at the Boulevard protest Saturday evening. The earlier protest at City Hall had between 50 to 60 participants. 

Protesters held signs saying, “No Justice, No Peace” and “He Couldn’t Breathe,” in reference to Floyd, who died Monday after an officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and pleading for air in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

St. George News reporters on scene at both the evening and morning protests observed a peaceful, if passionate, assembly. Some police officers were stationed in the area. A handful of counter-protesters, expressing support for the St. George Police and that “All Lives Matter” also gathered nearby. 

A majority of the protest, which began around 5 p.m.,  dispersed for the most part around 9 p.m. with a few dozen remaining. 

Unlike the protests in Salt Lake City to the north and countless other cities nationwide, the only violent incident in St. George came when a passing motorist threw a firecracker in the middle of the street protesters interpreted as an attack. Other than some loud yelling back from protesters, the incident didn’t escalate further.   

St. George Police were on standby nearby but didn’t make a visual presence beyond a pair of bicycle officers. Officers also accompanied St. George Mayor Jon Pike as he arrived and spoke with some of the protesters.

Saturday’s protest was described as follows by organizers on social media:

This is to stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter chapters around the country as we call for justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Bernard Palacio (SLC) – and all the other POC (people of color) that were unjustly killed at the hands of police.

This event will discuss a ‘call to action’ about what we can do beyond this. This is not to protest or give a moment of silence only to ‘feel like you’ve done something’ and get back to your daily lives. YOU WANT TO SEE CHANGE – SHOW UP AND FIND OUT HOW!!

In northern Utah, thousands of people converged on downtown Salt Lake City on Saturday to protest.

What was billed as a “car caravan for justice” began with people in vehicles circling the Salt Lake City Police Department with signs that said “Black Lives Matter” and “Justice for George Floyd.”

People on foot smashed eggs against the windows of the Salt Lake City police station. Messages were written on the building that said, “We can’t breathe” along with expletives directed at police. Later in the afternoon, some protesters flipped over a police vehicle and set it on fire.

Others marched through downtown Salt Lake City to the state Capitol chanting, “We can’t breathe,” which Floyd said while he was in police custody.

Gov. Gary Herbert wrote on Twitter late afternoon that he was deploying troops “to help control the escalating situation.”

“We condemn violence and looting,” Herbert wrote. “I once again call on all who are protesting to do so peacefully.”

This is a developing story.

St. George News writers Joseph Witham and Chris Reed contributed to this report. The Associated Press contributed from Salt Lake City.

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