Dover NH Holds Peaceful Candlelight Vigil For George Floyd

Last night, the a candlelight vigil was organized to honor the death of George Floyd.  Hundreds of people showed up at Henry Law Park in Dover, holding candles, chanting Black Lives Matter, holding signs of support for the life of George Floyd, according to the Unofficial City of Dover, NH Facebook page.

Organizer Palmira Wilson, who will be a senior at Dover High School next year according to a story from WMUR, spoke to the crowd about how she wanted the message to be a positive one. She was quoted as saying,

It's not black versus white, it's everyone versus racism.... The vigil is to honor all the people that recently died and just because of things that have been happening in the community. It's a peaceful way to bring everybody together.

George Floyd was killed one week ago after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while Floyd was handcuffed and saying that he couldn’t breathe. The officer has been charged with murder and three others are under investigation.

Dover wasn't the only community to hold vigils last night. Hampton also had about 100 people show up for another peaceful protest. This comes after protests in Conway and Manchester, NH on Sunday.

The WMUR story also quotes Rogers Johnson, President of the Seacoast Chapter of the NAACP as saying,

We all, as John Kennedy said, inhabit the same small earth, breathe the same air, bleed the same blood.

I am so proud of the people of New Hampshire who came out to support this cause.  To know that there was no violence, no looting, but so much emotion and passion for this cause is just a wonderful thing.