COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia leaders said they have a plan to keep things safe but also allow free speech and assembly in downtown Columbia for scheduled rallies that will take place Friday.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, City Manager Teresa Wilson, Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook, and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott held a briefing Thursday afternoon.
Two events will be taking place Friday. The National Action Network is planning an event that begins at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park in downtown Columbia. The group will meet there and then march to U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham's Columbia office, then return to the park.
That event is in conjunction with a national event in Washington, D.C.
The Black Lives Matter South Carolina group also has an event which they hope will have thousands of people in attendance. At noon, also at Memorial Park, the group will gather. They will then march to the South Carolina State House. At 2 p.m.,a rally will begin and is set to go for several hours.
However, there is some talk that other groups with differing events could also be at the State House. With that in mind, the city said they do not want a repeat of what happened in late May, when a riot broke out during a peaceful protest.
"Sometimes things get out of hand, as we learned," Benjamin said. "We want everyone to stay safe, stay healthy."
Holbrook said he wants everyone to express their First Amendment rights. He said the city has had conversations with the Black Lives Matter event organizers and said they have had good conversations since May and have built relationships.
The group said Wednesday they are committed to non-violence and they want people to protest responsibly.
"To the citizens who keep pushing for equality, justice and peace, I know many of you are upset. but rest assured we cannot tear up our communities and or local businesses to prove a point," said Kayin Jones, the Executive Director of Black Lives Matter South Carolina.
The date of the Friday's event is significant: it's the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s March on Washington event where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream Speech."
