So I was in the middle of the action on July 4th, 2020 right outside of the West Palm Beach Police Office (600 Banyan Street, West Palm Beach, FL). This plays out like a symphony – where a young protester starts off by singing. Then she speaks. Then she is interrupted (quite rudely) by another protester who comes in from a different location, yelling from a megaphone. Kudos to Francky Pierre-Paul who de-escalates a volatile situation, with extreme attention to detail and care, even reminding a counter-protester to wear his mask during the argument. Also, recognition should go to Kyle Edme for organizing the (original) peaceful protest, including a voter registration booth and bottled water for all participants. And finally, the police chief who helps to de-escalate the situation deserves kudos as well. It’s a team effort with the Black Lives Matter protesters and the police department on the same page. I’m very proud of those who helped make this come to a peaceful resolution. I recommend watching the entire video. I (Krista Martinelli) am a playwright, and I could not have scripted a more powerful piece if I tried. This is what democracy looks like. #AnotherDoorOpens #AroundWellington #It’sGoodNews #PositiveChange
