Peaceful discussion part of protest in Palmer

PALMER — The protest that marched through Palmer on Saturday did so peacefully after speculation due to threatening comments online. Prior to the beginning of the speeches at the vigil for victims of police brutality, the two people involved in much of the discussions of safety surrounding the protest on Saturday during the week prior met face to face for the first time.

Event organizer, 18-year-old Aurora Till, and candidate for State House in District 9, Luke Howard, who runs the Facebook page 907 Freedom met and hashed out their differences, which were not many.

“The fact that you stood up in your community and did this, I applaud you. I support you 110 percent. Please understand my only intention was to not have someone degrade you or degrade your message,” said Howard to Till.

Till arrived in Palmer before 9 a.m. on Saturday for the protest scheduled to begin at noon in the wake of the death of 46-year-old George Floyd in Minneapolis. After protests and marches took place around the world, the announcement of Saturday’s event sparked outrage for some and concerned business owners for the safety of their stores in downtown Palmer.

“I never said I was a cop, I never said I was deputized with anything. I said Palmer PD asked if we were there and things got out of control to give them some video so they could identify the rabble rousers, the people who would detract from your message to go ahead and have our rovers driving around and if we see something suspicious let them know. That’s what I said,” siad Howard. “But then everyone took this and demonized this and I think they made it worse and it’s really shameful.”

Howard and about a dozen men who had walked from the Palmer Train Depot across Evergreen Avenue to Till and the organizers asked if they could march with the protest and pray with them before the event. Both requests were accepted.

“We understand how you feel too, we honestly agree with how you feel. We understand how you feel. We understand that indifference is the dangerous thing in our nation right now,” said Howard. “I think it’s great. You’d be surprised at how much we feel how you all feel,” said Howard.

Howard and many of the group that walked across the street with him stood and talked with the organizers until the beginning of the event. After a handful had spoken what was on their mind, 2020 graduate of Chugiak High School and Alaska Middle College Eden Johnson spoke up.

“We’ve seen what happens when we are peaceful,” said Johnson. “We are not a threat because of the color of our skin. We are not threats because of what we stand for and we just want to keep things peaceful and make sure that that is the Valley. People who stand with us, they have seen the hate Aurora has already dealt with, a lot of hate simply for what she believes and we have agreed to be peaceful so when we see that it’s not like we’re going to go start riots and that kind of stuff. Of course not because we want to make sure that people know that our skin color, our peacefulness, our beliefs is not a threat whatsoever. It’s a deal of morality and we’re going to be peaceful in that.”

With over 1,500 people gathered in Palmer, none of the previously predicted violence came close to occurring. Howard stood along Alaska Street and peacefully had conversations with dozens of people at the protest who wanted to speak their mind, ending most with a handshake and an understanding of one another. Howard said that he believes all lives matter, but had the meaning behind black lives matter explained to him and agreed.

“You can’t put out all the fires that aren’t fires until you put out the one that’s actually burning and so I understand it, trust me I heard this guy and I was like that makes the most sense out of everything I’ve heard,” said Howard. “So with the black lives matter thing people automatically get twisted up and it’s fine but then again don’t change yourselves. You guys are awesome, you guys are. I respect the heck out of you for doing what you’re doing especially at your age.”