The organizers closed the event early and canceled a planned march due to cold, snowy weather.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Snow falls at a meeting at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 18, 2021.
A rally in support of Black’s life and strong police oversight calling on incoming Joe Biden administration to focus on a ‘working people’s agenda’ saw some of the fires diminish Monday after a snowstorm blew in .
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Utah Against Police Brutality hosted the event, and about 60 people gathered at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City. Speakers called for increased police control by the community, action against climate change, immigration reform, an end to bailouts for the rich, and immediate help for those still facing economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are here today because Joe Biden won the election, and we have to light the hell out,” an organizer named Adrian, who did not want to give a last name, told the public. “We have to remind him that hundreds of people in the US, probably more, are unemployed, begging for help on the street.”
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Snow falls at a meeting in the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 18, 2021.
Following the violent uprising at the Capitol on Jan. 6, organizers of Monday’s rally were prepared for possible clashes with counter-protesters. About 10 people wore bright yellow vests and acted as security.
“We moved it to today to hopefully avoid that,” said Emma Fryer, an organizer who led an information table at the meeting. “We were supposed to do an inauguration day thing, but hoping to avoid collisions, we chose today. But I think things have calmed down a lot ”since the uprising earlier this month.
Fryer added that Martin Luther King Jr. Day was also a suitable holiday to host the rally as “we are here too … to celebrate his mission and talk about the things he fought for.”
Attendees waved Black Lives Matter flags and held signs calling for immigrant rights. They chanted famous phone calls over the summer during protests against police violence, including “No Justice, No Peace” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, these killer cops have to go.”
However, the cold suppressed much of the crowd’s energy.
Adrian, who appeared to be acting as the host of the event, led the crowd in a chant that referenced the weather. ‘We’re cold! Were wet! Cancel the blame! “
A snowstorm pulled into the rally after about 30 minutes, forcing organizers to cover the speakers and allow participants to take shelter under the federal building’s porch while uniformed police officers watched from the inside.
As the snow fell, a speaker named Jacari of Black Lives Matter North said, “Without justice, there will be no peace,” quoting Martin Luther King Jr: “Those who love peace must learn to organize just as efficiently. like those who love war. “
The event ended at 5:00 PM, one hour after it started, without any conflict. The organizers have canceled a planned march and caravan due to the cold.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Carl Moore leads a prey as snow falls at a meeting at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 18, 2021.
To conclude the meeting, Indigenous activist and Pandos chairman Carl Moore offered a prayer asking for protection from cold and snow, freedom from oppression and food and shelter for those who need it. He also asked if the president-to-be would be blessed.
But dozens of police officers and National Guard troops kept a perimeter around the Utah Capitol. The Boogaloos called the massive presence of law enforcement a “ joke, ” mocking officers from their vantage point south of the Capitol entrance.
Police say the increased security – which was needed after the FBI warned of possible violence this weekend – helped keep the petty protest peaceful.