Solidarity Rally Scheduled for Sunday at Memorial Park in Lansdale

Keith Heffintrayer•

Rally organizer Josh Nielsen, of Lansdale, addresses demonstrators during Tuesday night’s rally.

On the heels of Tuesday night’s peaceful protest in Lansdale Borough, organizers have begun preparing for a second peaceful demonstration that is scheduled to occur on Sunday at Memorial Park.

Organized by Lansdale resident Joshua Nielsen, the announcement of the second rally was initially made at the conclusion of Tuesday’s demonstration. The following day, Nielsen and police discussed consolidating the rally with one already scheduled for June 20, but on Thursday, Nielsen said that in order to keep the momentum going, he wanted to continue on with his plans for a rally on Sunday.

After some discussion regarding timing and logistics, Nielsen and the Lansdale Borough Police Department were able to iron out the details, leading to a three-hour rally from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park on June 7.

Organizers reiterated that the rally is to remain peaceful, and requested that demonstrators wear their masks and attempt to keep proper social distance when possible. Additionally, participants are encouraged to bring necessities such as water, snacks and gloves.

When reached for comment, Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail reaffirmed his support for the peaceful demonstrators, and added that his staff had already begun their planning and preparation for Sunday’s event.

On Tuesday, approximately 600 to 700 demonstrators took to Railroad Plaza and West Main Street to voice their outrage over the death of George Floyd and their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Demonstrators remained peaceful throughout the duration of the event, and were joined by members of the Lansdale Borough Police Department who showed their support by taking a knee with rally participants.

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.

“The success of [Tuesday’s] event is 100% the result of the people who participated,” Trail said.

For more information about Sunday’s rally, check out the Facebook event page by clicking here or see the flyer below.