Black Lives Matter SC, partners plan ‘massive protests’ in Columbia, emphasize peace

With another police shooting sweeping national attention, another series of rallies are planned in Columbia.

The shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, by police has added urgency to marches and protests planned for Friday and Saturday.

Despite being shot seven times, Blake was not killed, although his family has said he may be paralyzed below his waist. “God said ‘No, I want him to tell his story,’” said Kayin Jones, the executive director of Black Lives Matter South Carolina.

As Jones spoke at a news conference on Wednesday afternoon near the State House, he was flanked by other Black Lives Matter SC members, community organizers and a captain with Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

Black Lives Matter SC said in a news release that the weekend will have “massive protests.” Lawrence Nathaniel, the group’s founder, estimated 3,000 will show up.

Jones and others emphasized that their organizations are committed to non-violence and that the protests this weekend are to remain peaceful.

“We cannot tear up our communities and local businesses to prove a point,” Jones said.

In late May, Columbia protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis escalated into property damage and burned police cars. Police also were accused of clashing with peaceful protesters.

Two marches are scheduled for Friday, the first beginning at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park, 700 Hampton St., and the second at noon at Memorial Park, on the Wayne Street side, according to organizers.

The later march will include a voter registration drive at the State House.

On Saturday, protesters will gather at 11 a.m. at Columbia City Hall, 1737 Main St., and march to the State House to continue their rally, according to Black Lives Matter SC.

The events are being organized by various organizations, including Black Lives Matter SC, Amplify Action, National Action Network-SC, and SC AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

The core of the Black Lives Matter SC march is not anti-police, Nathaniel said. The main purpose of Friday’s second march is voter registration.

Nathaniel said protesters and others who have supported social justice causes need to “show up strong, show up mighty and make sure our voices are heard” in the November elections.

With Saturday’s protests, “we’re coming in peace,” Nathaniel said. “We’re not here to destroy anything.”

The rallies are a combination of multiple events planned over previous weeks that have taken a new focus since Blake’s shooting.

Black Lives Matter SC’s marches and protests are galvanizing new partnerships the group is forming with other community organizations and police.

Capt. Wendall Harris of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department stood beside Black Lives Matters SC members during the news conference.

“We’ve always believed in community policing within community relations,” Harris said. “As long as we’re building a bridge that balances out safety.”

Black Lives Matter SC has also partnered with Building Better Communities, a Richland County organization that works, in part, to prevent gun violence through community and police relationships.

Building Better Communities founder Perry Bradley said it will continue to partner with other non-violent groups and warned that people or groups thinking of damaging property or similar acts need to stay away from the events this weekend.

The organizers are planning for outside groups to counter protest and for some to send “agitators,” Nathaniel said. But plans are in place to help keep the situation under control.

The first march on Friday is part of a national event called “The Committment March” organized by the National Action Network. The flagship march in the series takes place in Washington D.C.

The second march is being referred to as the March to Register and March for Jacob Blake and is being promoted by Black Lives Matter SC.

The march is about “asking everyone — from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government — to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and opportunity for all,” Black Lives Matter SC said in a statement.

This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 12:11 PM.

David Travis Bland

The State

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David Travis Bland is The State’s editorial editor. In his prior position as a reporter, he was named the 2020 South Carolina Journalist of the Year by the SC Press Association. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2010. Support my work with a digital subscription