Gallery: Unity March in Thibodaux

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Gov. Edwards Signs Order Moving Louisiana to Phase Two of Reopening on Friday
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This afternoon, around 100 people chanted, raised their fists and walked up and down North Canal Boulevard in Thibodaux amid the summer heat for a unity march protesting against racial injustice and for equality. 

 

The demonstration was led and organized by members of the Nicholls State University Black Student Union (BSU). 

 

“It was more about bringing awareness to police brutality, George Floyd’s death and equal rights for African Americans here in Thibodaux, in this country and at Nicholls State,” said Kayla Freemon, event organizer and President of BSU. 


 

Walking alongside Nicholls students were university faculty and staff, Lafourche Parish NAACP President Burnell Tolbert, Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre and several other people from the community. 

 

After the march, some participants gathered at the Lafourche Parish Courthouse and knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds — the amount of time white police officer Derek Chauvin can be seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, and African American male who subsequently died from the incident on May 25. 

 

“I feel today was a really good success. It showed that everybody can come together and that we can have a peaceful protest and not riot and destroy our own city because we do live here,” said Arrington Blanchard, march leader. “I feel like you do whatever is necessary to get your point across. But we decided to do it like this: a peaceful protest.” 


 

“Obviously, we got our point across,” he continued. “We got everyone here; we made them notice. That’s what we wanted to do today.”

 

Stay with the Times for the upcoming full story on the march.