Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail issued a statement on Wednesday evening, following a peaceful protest in support of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter that occurred the evening prior.
Approximately 600 to 700 demonstrators arrived in Lansdale for a rally on Tuesday night, centered on the area of Railroad Plaza and the 300 block of West Main Street. The rally remained peaceful throughout the demonstration, as police provided traffic control, pedestrian street crossings and participation via kneeling in solidarity with demonstrators to express their outrage at the death of George Floyd.
No arrests were made, no property was damaged and the crowd dispersed peacefully by 9 p.m.
The actions of the Lansdale Borough Police Department at the demonstration earned near-universal praise across the local area and beyond, with many citing their actions and imagery as representative of a good first-step in the fight for racial equality and justice. However, Trail said that while he appreciates the kindness, attention should instead be focused on the demonstrators and their message.
“I am writing to set the record straight,” Trail said. “The success of this event is 100% the result of the people who participated.”
The remainder of his statement reads:
Lansdale is home to a collection of people who care about one another and support one another without condition or prejudice. Like a family, dropping everything to lend a hand and support our community through good and bad times.
We may not always see eye-to-eye, but we understand we are stronger together, and that is why the event on Tuesday evening went so well. With future events possible, I encourage all residents to continue their efforts to make our community shine by repeating all the great work we saw Tuesday evening.
On behalf of every Lansdale Police Officer, I say thank you. And please know, the pride we have for the patch on our uniform results from the pride we have for the community we serve.
A follow up demonstration has been scheduled for Sunday, June 7. More details will be provided in a separate article tomorrow morning.
(Editor’s note: a prior version of this article mentioned the June 7 rally being cancelled, and instead being merged with the June 20 demonstration. This was based off, and verified by, a conversation that organizers had with police on Wednesday. We have since learned that organizers had another discussion with police on Thursday, and they will be moving forward with the initial rally that was scheduled for June 7, but at an alternative location. More details will be provided tomorrow. )
See also:
Hundreds Attend Peaceful Rally In Support Of George Floyd In Lansdale, Police Show Their Support
Peaceful Rally Planned Tonight In Lansdale In Support Of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter
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
