Anti-Fourth Celebration in Santa Cruz

The march traveled down Pacific Avenue to the Santa Cruz Police Department, and then on to the Boardwalk and the Beach Flats Community. There were periodic stops in street intersections, were speeches were made. In addition to statements against celebrating the Fourth of July, individuals carried protest signs with statements in support of Black Lives Matters, as well as the abolition of police and prisons.

At the police station, an American flag and two "thin blue-line" police flags were burned. One of the flags had the statements "Andy Mills is a fascist" and "Nadar Oweis is a fascist" written on it. Mills is the Chief of Police of the Santa Cruz Police Department, and Oweis is the Chief of Police for the UC Santa Cruz Police Department.

The mood of the march was lively, and garnered wider support from the community. This included participation from tourists on Beach Street, who spontaneously marched along with the group. There was a similar reaction from locals in the Beach Flats Community, many of whom thanked marchers as they passed by.

To conclude the march, the group returned to the Town Clock, where a number of American flags, including a Trump flag, were burned in the street.


Alex Darocy