Civil unrest is where democracy is reborn

“A riot is the language of the unheard.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What’s the difference between peaceful protests and riots?

The simple answer appears to be that in one, protestors hold signs and chant but no one gets hurt and the demonstration is contained; in the other, violence and looting and arson reign supreme as innocent civilians and law enforcement both face casualties.

But the answer is not so simple. A peaceful protest remains peaceful because demonstrators are heard without resorting to destruction. Morgantown’s Black Lives Matter march was a success because the black community came to speak, the white community came to support and listen and law enforcement stayed away from the protest but still made sure the marchers’ route was clear of traffic.

The protestors felt heard and respected. There was no need to resort to rioting.

In Charleston, Police Chief Tyke Hunt visited the West Side protest and shook hands with demonstrators. Charleston police only stepped in to block and direct traffic as protestors marched through the intersection of Quarrier and Court streets. In Huntington, peaceful protestors marched from Ritter Park to Pullman Square. And Huntington police cleared the way for them so they could march safely.

In Flint, Mich., police marched with Black Lives Matter protestors. In Kansas City, Mo.; Camden, N.J.; and Fargo, N.D., officers carried banners and signs alongside demonstrators. In Santa Cruz, Calif., and Ferguson, Mo., law enforcement knelt in honor of George Floyd. These protests remained peaceful.

When demonstrations protest police brutality — particularly against black individuals — the mere act of officers standing with protestors says, “I am listening. I hear you. And I want the world to be better, too.” When protestors are heard, their grievances acknowledged and their right to assemble respected, there is no need to riot. Riots are the last resort of the unheard.

When protests have turned violent — become riots and looting — the spark that ignites the fire has often been police action or the appearance of white supremacists. A Milwaukee protest that had been peaceful for hours became violent after an officer tackled a cyclist for unclear reasons. After that, police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

A Fargo, N.D., protest that had been peaceful all day shifted to riots and looting in the evening. But the city’s mayor, Tim Mahoney, announced, “I believe tonight’s actions are the result of outside influences who are not reflective of our people.”

A leaked Homeland Security memo shows a white supremacist group, Identity Evropa, created a fake “antifa” account to sow discord and incite violence. White supremacists also appeared at protests in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Philadelphia and other cities, sometimes bearing assault rifles.

We grieve with the families of black individuals who lost their lives to police brutality and racism. We mourn with those who have lost their lives during riots. We offer our condolences to businesses that have been looted and destroyed. We condemn looters and applaud protestors, particularly ones who stand in defiance of looters. We admire the business owners who have said their property is not more important or valuable than black lives.

Civil unrest is where democracy is reborn. It’s never pretty, but our country always emerges better than it was before.