Watch as Thousands Protest in Downtown Honolulu in Support of Black Lives Matter
A week of demonstrations against police brutality, systemic racism and a call for justice for George Floyd resulted in a reported 10,000 people protesting at the Hawai‘i State Capitol on Saturday, June 6.
The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery on Feb. 23 in Georgia, Breonna Taylor on March 13 in Kentucky and George Floyd on May 25 in Minnesota reignited Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. almost two weeks ago, and around the world over the weekend.
After a week of peaceful events organized by various groups in Hawai‘i —such as Hawai‘i for Black Lives, AF3IRM Hawaiʻi and The Pōpolo Project—the march on Saturday, June 6, which began at Ala Moana Beach Park and ended at the Hawai‘i State Capitol, was the largest Black Lives Matter protest in the state. The demonstration that was organized by high school students Kawika Pegram and Nikkya Taliaferro has been reported by multiple local news outlets, including Hawai‘i News Now, to have seen 5,000 to 10,000 supporters throughout the afternoon. A recent post on the Instagram account of the organizers (@hawaiiforblacklives) states that close to 20,000 supporters attended. Coronacare Hawai‘i attended this and many previous events to clean up trash left by protesters and to distribute bottled water, sunscreen, masks, snacks and hand sanitizer to attendees.
And the protests are not showing any signs of slowing down. Saturday’s global marches drew some of the largest crowds since demonstrations began, according to CNN. More events are scheduled throughout Hawai‘i in the coming days.
HONOLULU Magazine’s chief photographer David Croxford and digital editorial specialist Katie Kenny captured the event on Saturday, June 6, 2020.
Ashley Dee is a local comedian originally from Kentucky and was one of the organizers of the Ala Moana Beach Park to Waikīkī march on Friday, June 5. Her speech kicked off the March on Saturday, June 6.
VIDEOS: KATIE KENNY
SEE ALSO: Q+A: Patrisse Cullors, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter
— Ashley Dee (@ashleydeecomedy)
— Ashley Dee
—Joy Enomoto
Breyahna King
—Joy Enomoto
Artist and activist Joy Enomoto is currently a lecturer at the UH Mānoa who holds two master’s degrees in Library and Information Science and Pacific Islands Studies..
—Ken Lawson
Ken Lawson is the co-director of the Hawai‘i Innocence Project and teaches Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, Professional Responsibility and Evidence at UH’s law school.
— Ken Lawson
