Conflicting Agreements, But No Conflict During Black Lives Matter Protest in Granbury

Not everyone agreed about the Black Lives Matter movement on the Granbury square Sunday, but there did seem to be a consensus on the constitutional right to protest.

Since George Floyd was killed in police custody after Officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes, Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality have cropped up in every major city across the nation. Now, small towns are speaking out, too.

Granbury Native Kaya McClain’s announcement on Facebook to hold a protest on the square sparked controversy, leading to three different groups demonstrating different ideals in front of the courthouse on the hot June afternoon.

The largest and most ethnically diverse group, led by Kaya and her friends, represented anti-racism and the Black Lives Matter movement. Other groups showed up as anti-protestors, including about a dozen older white women who sang hymns in the gazebo, and a few people who stood under the awnings on Houston St. watching the demonstration.

The Black Lives Matter protestors marched, prayed, and talked about the people of color across the nation who have been murdered by police officers on duty.

Lifelong Granbury resident David Azcarraga said he came to the protest as a sign of solidarity, to show people of color they don’t have to feel alone.

“It doesn’t take too much thinking to just say, ‘hey, y’all feel like y’all don’t matter so it’s our job to make sure you know you do,’” Azcarraga said.

Kenneth, a Granbury resident whose daughters were protesting, said although he wasn’t in the protest himself, he was glad to see the police protecting the constitutional right to peaceably assemble.

“When they try to take our guns away I’ll be out here protesting,” Kenneth said.

Russell, a retiree who moved to Granbury six years ago, said he supported the protest.

“If it’s constitutional, I’m for it,” Russell said. “I’m here to hand out water and make sure no one graffitis General Granbury.”

No one vandalized the statue of the confederate general, nor anything else on the square. Although several people expressed concern about rioting and looting, that was not on the agenda for the groups gathered Sunday.

The leaders of the anti-racism protest repeatedly reminded members of the crowd to clean up their trash and asked them not to destroy any property.

“When you do that, it silences the movement,” one of the leaders said. “And don’t get heat stroke. That definitely silences the movement.”

Laurie, a nurse visiting from Fort Worth, waved an American flag in front of the Silver Saddle Saloon with her daughter. She referred to the recent Black Lives Matter protests as, “crap,” and said she was part of the anti-protest. She later said she was not against protesting in general, but she was against the Black Lives Matter protests.

Laurie spoke about Black Lives Matter protestors and rioters as if they were one entity saying, “You come to my house and you riot or you loot or you endanger my family I’ll kill you.”

Apollo, a soft-spoken anti-racism protester born and raised in Granbury, said he was harassed by the police for the first time at age 11. He said rioters were often people from “outside groups” who were not concerned with justice or the Black Lives Matter movement, and that protestors like himself were against rioting, too.

“My first day I brought a fire extinguisher because I was legitimately afraid,” Apollo said. “But no matter the fear level, no matter what could happen, I needed to be here because this is where I grew up and I needed to see it. I needed to see all the people that I didn’t have when I was growing up.”

Apollo said he was physically and verbally abused in grade school for being black. Today he was carrying a white kitchen garbage bag and picking up litter.

Parents Tiffaney and Jamal Hill said seeing their daughters protest gives them hope.

“They’re the new voice trying to make everything change so it’s-- as a parent you’re proud to just see it,” Jamal said. “Maybe in our lifetime we’ll get to see the next generation literally get rid of all of this.”

Jamal said when people show up for anti-racism protests, it helps to heal old wounds racism has caused.

“Sometimes you’re just asking for someone to notice, that’s it,” Jamal said. “Just for someone to go, ‘I get it.’ Because at that moment, at that moment-- granted it might not change something-- but for that moment you’re not alone.”