Hundreds of people, many of them on horses, took to the streets of Compton Sunday in a demonstration against police violence.
The “Compton Peace Walk” was scheduled to take place 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. from the Gateway Towne Center to the Martin Luther King Jr. monument by the Compton City Hall, according to Mayor Aja Brown’s announcement. The post asked those who want to participate to wear masks.
“Our kids are watching us and they deserve to live in a better world, a better city that ensures their peace and protection, full liberty and justice for all,” Brown wrote in a Facebook post promoting the protest.
The Compton Cowboys, a self-described “collective of lifelong friends on a mission to uplift their community through horseback and farming lifestyle,” also invited equestrians to join.
“This is for the history books let’s ride!!!!” the group said in a post.
On Sunday, dozens rode their horses alongside the marchers.
Aerial footage from Sky5 showed a sea of cowboy hats and neon-colored signs that said “Black Lives Matter.” One poster read, “Tu lucha es mi lucha,” or “Your fight is my fight.”
The Compton Cowboys documented the scene from the ground and posted footages of the rally on social media. In one video, the recorder is heard saying, “That’s what I call a peaceful assembly.”
Facebook users from Minnesota to Dallas expressed their support for the group and their cause.
Sunday’s protests across the L.A. area cap a second weekend of a nationwide call for justice sparked by recent police killings of African Americans, including that of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville.
Mayor Eric Garcetti on Sunday afternoon announced that the California National Guard will be leaving L.A. in the evening, a week after being deployed amid clashes between police and civilians that disrupted peaceful protests.
Since the local demonstrations began, officials have announced plans to cut LAPD’s budget and Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered police programs to stop training officers on using neck holds.
Law enforcement agencies have also drawn scrutiny for tactics they’ve used against protesters, including shooting rubber bullets.
