By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Black Lives Matter supporters and a lone Trump supporter demonstrated on the sidewalks on Middlebury Road in front of and near Dunkin’ Donuts Saturday, starting at 2 p.m. A police cruiser was parked across the street between the Mobil station and the Alltown station. When this reporter left at 3 pm, the demonstrations were continuing peacefully, and the officer had not had to leave his cruiser.
Jim Russell of Waterbury holds a flag declaring his support for President Trump Saturday across from the Alltown service station. (Marjorie Needham photo)
The lone Trump supporter, Jim Russell of Waterbury, said he heard about the demonstration and decided to drive to Middlebury to show support for Trump. He waved a huge “I support President Trump” flag attached to a pole. He said he had just purchased it at a Trump paraphernalia store in Seymour.
“I’m trying to show I support my president,” Russell said. He said Trump supports Black Lives Matter (BLM) and has given more jobs to black people than Obama did when he was president. He said the BLM demonstrations are always violent and always derogatory.
The BLM demonstrators, organized by 2019 Pomperaug High School graduate Thomas Gilbertie, held signs supporting the movement. They chanted the names of people of color killed by police, followed by “Say his/her name” and things like “Hate has no home here – Middlebury” and “Change is coming. Time is up.”
Gilbertie said, “I think there is a lot of social injustice in a lot of places like Middlebury. It’s just not videotaped.” He said he wanted to stand up for everyone who might not be able to stand up for themselves.
Jennifer Atchison also was there as a BLM demonstrator. She organized the first Middlebury march right after George Floyd’s killing. She said about 85 people participated in that march from Meadowview Park to Town Hall. She said she decided to get involved after she saw people posting really hurtful things on Facebook. “This is something I am passionate about,” she said, adding that a coworker who had demonstrated during the Vietnam War era told her his one regret was he didn’t participate in more human rights protests.
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