Organizers closed the event earlier and canceled a planned march due to cold and snow.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Snow falls during a rally at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on the day of Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, January 18, 2021.
A demonstration supporting black lives and strong police oversight that appealed to Joe Biden’s new government to focus on a “working people’s agenda” saw part of its fire slow down on Monday after a snowstorm exploded.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Utah Against Police Brutality organized the event, and about 60 people gathered at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City. Speakers called for more police control by the community, actions on climate change, immigration reform, an end to bailouts for the rich and immediate relief for those who continue to face economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are here today because Joe Biden won the election and we need to set up hell,” said an organizer named Adrian, who did not give the crowd a surname. “We need to remind you that hundreds of people in the United States, probably more, are out of work, on the streets, begging for help.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Snow falls during a rally at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on the day of Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, January 18, 2021.
After the violent uprising at the United States Capitol on January 6, the organizers of Monday’s rally came prepared for potential confrontations with counter-protesters. About 10 people wore bright yellow construction vests and acted as security guards.
“We moved today to avoid this,” said Emma Fryer, an organizer who ran an information desk at the rally. “We were going to do an opening day thing, but in the hope of avoiding confrontations, we chose today. But I think things have calmed down a lot ”since the insurgency earlier this month.
Fryer added that Martin Luther King Jr.’s day was also an appropriate holiday to host the rally, because “we are also here … to celebrate his mission and talk about the things he was fighting for”.
Participants waved Black Lives Matter flags and held up signs asking for immigrants’ rights. They shouted family calls over the summer during protests against police violence, including “No justice, no peace” and “Hey, hey, hey, these murderous cops need to go.”
The cold, however, undermined much of the crowd’s energy.
Adrian, who appeared to be acting as the event’s emcee, led the crowd in a chant that made reference to the mood. “We are cold! We’re wet! Cancel the debt! “
A snowstorm fell about 30 minutes after the demonstration began, leaving organizers struggling to cover the loudspeakers and making participants take shelter under the portico of the federal building while uniformed policemen watched from within.
When the snow fell, a speaker named Jacari from Black Lives Matter North said: “Without justice, there will be no peace,” and quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: “Those who love peace must learn to organize themselves as efficiently as those who love the war . “
The event ended around 5 pm, an hour after the start, without any conflict. Organizers canceled a planned march and a caravan due to the cold.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Carl Moore leads prey as snow falls during a demonstration at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on the day of Martin Luther King Jr., Monday, January 18, 2021.
To conclude the demonstration, indigenous activist and Pandos president Carl Moore said a prayer, asking for protection from the cold and snow, freedom from oppression and food and shelter for those in need. He also asked that the incoming president be blessed.
But many National Guard police and troops maintained a perimeter around Utah’s Capitol. The Boogaloos called the massive presence of law enforcement a “joke” and mocked officials for their privileged position south of the Capitol entrance.
The police say the tightened security – which was triggered after the FBI warned of potential violence over the weekend – helped to ensure that the small protest remained peaceful.