MENDOCINO Co., 6/18/20 — Around 50 Willits residents lined Main Street on Sunday, May 31 during a socially distanced Black Lives Matter demonstration at Babcock Park in solidarity with events taking place in Ukiah and around the country. Local officials as well as the Willits Police Chief were in attendance, as well as residents of all ages, holding signs and eliciting honks of support from passing drivers.
Several residents organized the BLM event that day, at the same time as a larger event taking place in Ukiah, in order to better facilitate social distancing for people in the Willits area who wanted to show their support. Additional demonstrations have subsequently taken place in Fort Bragg, Laytonville, Boonville, Mendocino, and Gualala; see our full coverage here.
Attendees in Willits included people of all ages, wearing masks, and there were masks, water, snacks, and hand sanitizer available. The location and layout of Babcock Park, a popular choice for local protests, allowed for ample social distancing while the group held signs along Main Street. Aside from several city council members including Saprina Rodriguez, Madge Strong, and Greta Kanne, the city manager, and District 3 Supervisor John Haschak, and other familiar faces, a man dressed as Captain America also made a brief appearance.
Here’s some interviews with attendees, photos, and other video of the event: