Sixth Day of George Floyd Protests in San Diego – Including in Midway, OB, Mira Mesa, Broadway Heights – and Paddle Out in Encinitas

Wednesday, June 3 was the sixth straight day of protests in San Diego County over the George Floyd murder. All were peaceful and all were respectful of this local and national moment of push for needed change.

The protests included a march from the Midway area into Ocean Beach, one in Mira Mesa, a vigil in Broadway Heights and a massive paddle-out at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.

A mostly young crowd rallied in the Midway Area for Black Lives Matter and several San Diego Police officers joined them in prayer; the crowd chanted, “SDPD! SDPD!” and the officers actually led the marchers through the area. The marchers continued into Ocean Beach and down several streets around Newport Avenue, past boarded up windows of businesses, some of whose owners sprayed supportive statements (some would call them “graffiti”) onto those boards.

The crowd of several hundred ended up at the foot of Newport and evolved into a huge drum circle. Which happens every Wednesday after the Farmers Market. (Some people thought there may have two different protests – but that hasn’t been confirmed. )

Observers who witnessed it or participated were full of praise.

In comments to an OB Rag article, Toby said:

“I heard people chanting and didn’t see any property damage or violence overflow into the neighborhood; in a word PEACEFUL.”

Geoff Page said, he

“caught the protest last night while running down by the beach about 8:00. They were marching on Abbott between Newport and Santa Monica and did not fill half the block. I think the estimate [of] 200 was too high for what I saw, maybe 100 at most. The crowd cheering them on was bigger. Newport was normal. I saw one police car and the ever present chopper but no sirens. Looked like the fear-mongering was all bluster.

Mervie commented:

I walked down Newport this morning, expecting to at least see an increase in trash. No signs of any vandalism at all, all these businesses closed early and boarded up their windows for no reason. Even the streets were clean and the only people out in force were surfers.

I ran into some friends last night who had come down from Point Loma to peacefully protest but even they didn’t know who was organizing the march. For a few hours people were just milling about with the regular Wednesday drum circle going on in the background. The most disruptive thing that happened last night was a helicopter circling for 20 minutes around 8:30pm.

Eric stated:

I have lived in OB for more than 30 years. Me and my family marched and it was such a great moment for our town. Totally peaceful from about sundown until around 10:30 marching down the cliffs when we cut out. The group went around town on the streets with total support from the cops for at least two hours. How beautiful it was to march with thoughtful and open hearted OBecians under the giant moon to support obviously needed changes in the police’s use of force and targeting of minorities. We joined the drum circle a couple of times. I was actually surprised more OB folk didn’t join. This is the real controversy, not the market closing. I would say about a quarter to a third of the shops were boarded up, some noted they were a minority owned business, and some had their vigilante-paid security on guard. Others had all the owners and friends lined across the front of their shops, many chanting and raising their fists in support, a few handing out drinks.

OB Dave had joined the event and said:

The protest last night was 100% peaceful. As we passed patrol cars parked on Abbot, some of the police officers flashed peace signs to us. From my vantage point, cops were respectful and relatively peripheral. The leaders of the protest were very organized and inspiring, giving a number of goosebumps-inducing speeches at various stops. Like Eric, I wish more of the OB community would have joined us, but it was assuring to see so many allies cheering us on from their balconies, cars, and alleyways. The folks at BBQ House Bar & Grill provided free water for protestors and chanted with us. A few people at The Joint also shouted along.

Prayer Vigil in Broadway Heights

Leaders of multiple faiths hosted the San Diego Prayer Vigil for Love, Peace and Justice Wednesday night in Broadway Heights to show support for the Black and Brown communities and to speak out against racial injustice. Robert Robinson, a member of the Broadway Heights Community Council, helped organize the vigil.

“We want to look at pain, suffering, hurt. The changes that folks are going through. So we decided to put this together. It came together well,” said Robinson.

“It took 50 states who are just in pain, tired. I mean Whites, Browns, Black. I mean look at this crowd. Can you give yourself a hand tonight? It doesn’t matter your race, your lifestyle,” said one of the speakers to the crowd. An imam, a pastor, a city councilmember and people from all over the community shared their anger and despair after a white police officer killed George Floyd. The country has erupted in protest and riots.

“It just seemed impossible to sit at home. History is literally being made and I refuse to do nothing,” said Pacific Beach resident Nataly Cardenas. But the tension has been building for so long.

“Expressing, I think, the pain that has been going on 400 plus years that our Black brother and sisters, the black community — as Asian Americans we wanted to stand not in silence, stand in solidarity,” said attendee Alan Sun, a University Heights resident and minister. 7NBC

Mira Mesa

They chanted “Black lives matter” and “no justice, no peace” as the marched down Mira Mesa Boulevard, protesting the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd. Official numbers from the Wednesday rally have not been released, but estimates place the demonstration at about 500 people. Many came with homemade signs denouncing Floyd’s death and the treatment of people of color in the U.S.

“We have to be the change,” demonstrator Sinai Forbes said. “If we don’t do it, no one else will.” The demonstration began at about 2:15 p.m. But hundreds remained even after organizers urged people to go home upon getting reports instigators were on their way “to cause trouble.” At one point, demonstrators laid on their stomachs as a symbolic protest to the way Floyd was killed in a May 25 incident, pinned to the ground for nearly nine minutes with an officer’s knee on his neck. FOX5

Huge Paddle Out in Encinitas

Estimates of from 3,000 to 5,000 came out to celebrate George Floyd’s life and take a stand for change during a massive paddle out organized at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas Wednesday evening. There was a long moment of silence – and then they took to the waves for the paddle-out. Fox5

Protesters spelled out “Unity” with towels and bodies.