Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail has confirmed to North Penn Now that a peaceful rally in support of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement will occur this evening in Lansdale Borough.
The rally is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Railroad Plaza (the location of the Kugel ball). Trail said that police had a productive conversation with the organizer on Monday, who stated that they intended to peacefully spread their message and did not want anyone to attend who had ulterior motives.
Local police departments have been preparing in recent days for protests to make their way into the area. Likewise, some area businesses have taken precautionary steps such as boarding windows and closing early out of fear that the violence seen at large city protests could make its way into the area.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trail issued a statement saying that peaceful protestors would find an ally in the Lansdale Borough Police Department, as he reaffirmed his push for the community to come together to find solutions to racial injustice within the system.
“Lansdale Police will work with the various community groups, civic organizations and religious institutions to ensure these types of events are peaceful, but most importantly, productive, as I believe it is time to end idle talk and move towards solutions,” said Trail.
For Trail, this won’t be the first time he has had to deal with a large protest within the borough. In February 2019, hundreds of protestors and counter-protestors made their way to the Lansdale Library in response to a scheduled Drag Queen Story Time event.
In response to learning of that protest, Trail spent days with his staff and the mayor planning for a variety of scenarios and contingencies. Despite the volatility and tense moments during the protest itself, there were no acts of violence and officers from the Lansdale Police Department were praised for their ability to keep the peace and deescalate tensions as they arose.
When asked for comment about tonight's rally, Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert provided the following statement:
“Racial disparity and systemic racism is real and it does exist in our communities. Pretending to the otherwise would be both insulting and inappropriate. I appreciate protesters peacefully bringing their voices forward to bring about change in our communities and I hope to work with them, in tandem, to address their concerns in a way that will improve Lansdale long into the future.”
See also:
Lansdale Police Chief: ‘It’s Time To End Idle Talk And Move Towards Solutions’
Mayoral Musings: Improving Lansdale Police Department Through Body Cameras
Lansdale Police Chief Issues Statement Condemning The Death Of George Floyd
Local Law Enforcement, School Board Issue Statements On Death Of George Floyd
Pennsylvania Governor Issues Disaster Declaration As Protests Erupt Over The Weekend
