Rally held at Vestavia Bowl, City Hall

Joining with other protests across the country after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody after an officer put his knee on his neck for almost nine minutes last week, a group of demonstrators marched along U.S. 31, prayed with Vestavia Hills police and held a rally at Vestavia Hills City Hall on June 3.

The group, which had between 15 and 23 people at various times, began their demonstration shortly after noon at Vestavia Bowl.

The group began to march northbound on U.S. 31 toward City Hall, before turning around to come back to Vestavia Bowl. There, they made a circle with Vestavia police officers before someone prayed for the families of black men and women killed by police in recent years and for an end to racial injustice in America.

The group eventually drove over to City Hall, where they had speeches about the injustices committed against Floyd, as well as others. 

“We are here to protest any future innocent lives being lost,” one person said. “Police need to be accountable for the murders they have committed.”

Demonstrators laid on the ground with their hands behind their back for eight minutes to honor Floyd. A neighbor joined them at one point with her son, and someone brought the group a case of cold water.

The rally took place after the City Council voted to close City Hall grounds at 7 p.m. and the building at 5 p.m., as the property previously did not have set closing hours. All city offices in the building closed at noon today.

Another rally was planned for Friday at 4 p.m. The location was not known at publication time.