When protests started in Columbia last Saturday, marches had a much different look when protestors took to the street. For one thing they were scheduled, even if the times were somewhat… fluid. Secondly, police presence. Lots of police presence. At every intersection. Some blocking traffic, some blocking the route of the protestors. For the first three and a half days of protests, every march was watched closely with law enforcement seemingly coming out of nowhere with lights flashing to control traffic.

Then Tuesday came.

Well north of 100 protestors headed down Main Street, making their second unannounced march of the day. Walking past businesses they chanted ‘Black Lives Matter,’ ‘Say His Name - George Floyd,’ and ‘No Justice, No Peace.’ Many restaurant patrons, seated outside along the sidewalk, clapped, held fists in the air and showed other signs of support. Notably missing was the heavy police presence of earlier in the day. 

There were still cops around, mostly parked sporadically in vacant business parking lots, but no cross traffic was blocked and flashing blue lights didn’t light up the entire route as they had earlier. Walk/Don’t Walk traffic signals were obeyed for the most part (it’s hard to move a group that large in one ‘Walk’ session), as protestors didn’t want to give themselves a reason to be targeted by cops. 

Wednesday the group again took part in multiple unscheduled marches down the main streets around the South Carolina State House, and again it looked like the local police wanted to let the group do their thing. I’m sure they could have given out a truckload of tickets for jaywalking and other such charges, but I’m also sure that wouldn’t have looked good on their part.

Maybe, five days in, people locally are needing a little bit of a breather. Maybe it’s the calm before another storm. Maybe the vitriol is subsiding, albeit slightly. 

Another large protest is being organized both at the State House as well as the Governor’s Mansion on Friday. Given the number of people expected to attend, there will probably be flashing blue lights lining the streets and both locations. Riot gear, tear gas and ‘less lethal’ weapons will most likely be at the ready as well. 

Hopefully those preparations aren’t necessary and the streets can soon be open again to all those who want to walk peacefully.