Protesters clash in Arlington, but there were some civil conversations

ARLINGTON, Mass. — With every new murder of an unarmed Black person by a police officer, comes a new level of distrust with all police officers.

That’s why hundreds of people showed up outside Arlington’s courthouse to show police support.

“That thin blue line, that’s the line between law and order and chaos,” said Arlington resident Chip Ryan. “Our police keep us safe.”

A slightly larger crowd came to support the families of those killed.

“I just don’t see how all of the violence and brutality against people of color can be justified but here we are,” said another anonymous Arlington resident.

Our cameras heard a lot of yelling back and forth and even watched as police took away people on both sides of the street who got out of hand.

In one case you could even hear someone in the background yelling at an officer to kneel on the neck of the person they removed from the crowd.

However, the majority of the day remained peaceful and even included civil conversations between people who see policing differently.

“If you are supporting and backing a racist system like the police then that makes you yourself racist,” said an Arlington resident named Matt. “It’s the roots of the system. People are always talking about a few bad apples but I feel like the roots of the tree itself are poisonous. The whole police system has always been built... if you look back years you have the police system starting out as slave catchers.”

“Most of the people I talk to I try to express my opinion and they shut me right down. I’m willing to talk to people and listen to the other side but as soon as they go to the racism... because I back police I’m a racist? I don’t know where to go with that and I have to stop at that point,” said Ryan. “So it’s gonna be very difficult. The country is polarized, I think we are going into different directions.”

Both sides do agree, these protests will last another 50 years unless we all come to the same side of the street and figure out how to make sure Black lives matter in every facet of society, while still adequately backing those who serve.

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