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More than 50 activists from Black Lives Matter Maine gathered in front of the Portland police station Wednesday evening to demonstrate after a grand jury in Kentucky didnt hand up murder indictments against any of the three Louisville police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in March.

The Maine group announced on Facebook Wednesday that a larger demonstration is planned for Saturday afternoon in Portland.

One of the officers, Brett Hankison, was indicted on wanton endangerment charges for allegedly firing blindly through a door and window of an adjacent apartment where a pregnant woman, man and child lived. They were not seriously injured.

Hankison, who has since been fired, was one of three officers who entered Taylors apartment while executing a late-night, no-knock warrant related to a narcotics investigation. The Kentucky Attorney General said the other officers were justified in using force because Taylors boyfriend fired at them first.

Taylor, who is Black, was a 26-year-old emergency room technician. She was shot and killed in her apartment on March 13. If convicted of wanton endangerment, Hankison could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.

The reality of being black in America is that our lives are treated with disrespect until the end. We need to do better for our sisters and brothers, Black Lives Matter Maine said in a post Wednesday on its Facebook page. Come together to celebrate Breonna, show up against police brutality, and demand our city officials be held accountable to change. We stand in solidarity with Kentucky, and protest the police brutality inflicted upon us every day. This is why we are getting out into the streets again.

After gathering in front of the Portland police station at 6 p.m., the protesters moved to the intersection of Franklin and Middle streets where they sat down on the pavement. Portland police closed streets leading to the intersection.

Lt. Robert Martin, spokesman for the Portland Police Department, said the department had no plans to forcibly remove the protesters from the intersection. Martin described the assembly early in the evening as peaceful so far.

Protesters then stood up and chanted Breonna Taylor, no justice, no peace, before marching toward Monument Square.

Wednesdays protest ended around 9 p.m. Portland police announced the protest was over in a tweet that said, The protest is over. The streets are open to traffic. Thank you. Police reported no arrests during the protest.

But Black Lives Matter Maine announced Wednesday that it is planning to hold a larger demonstration Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. in front of Portland City Hall. Organizers urged people concerned about racial inequality and police brutality to attend.

We love you Breonna. We will do better for you, and every other victim of police brutality. See you in the streets this Saturday. We need everyone to use their voice against this systemic injustice, Black Lives Matter Maine posted on Facebook.

Black Lives Matter Maine scheduled a protest earlier this month in downtown Portland, but canceled the event after it allegedly received threats of violence from counter-protestors. Police and city officials asked people to remain peaceful and to leave their weapons at home.

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Black Lives Matter Maine protests grand jury decision in killing of Breonna Taylor - Press Herald

President TrumpDonald John TrumpNew Biden campaign ad jabs at Trump's reported 0 income tax payments Ocasio-Cortez: Trump contributed less in taxes 'than waitresses and undocumented immigrants' Third judge orders Postal Service to halt delivery cuts MORE on Friday assailed the Black Lives Matter movement as an an extreme socialist organization that is harmful to Black Americans during a campaign event planned to court Black voters.

Trump criticized the organization, whose goal is to combat police violence and racial injustice, for calling for funding to be reduced or redirected from police departments during a campaign event in Atlanta. He sought to blame violence and destruction that has accompanied some racial justice protests in U.S. cities on Black Lives Matter.

Its really hurting the Black community, Trump said. This is an unusual name for an organization whose ideology and tactics are right now destroying many Black lives.

Trump claimed that Black Lives Matter wants to achieve destruction of the nuclear family and abolish the police, prisons, border security, capitalism and school choice.

This is not the agenda of the Black community. This is the agenda of an extreme socialist or worse, you know what the other word is Marxist, communist this is the extreme socialist left, but beyond that in my opinion, Trump continued.

At one point during his remarks, Trump referred to Black Lives Matter organizers as fools prompting cheers from the crowd.

Trump made the comments after decrying the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery Black Americans who were all killed by white individuals this year. Floyd and Taylor were both killed by police.

Our hearts break for their families and all families who have lost a loved one, Trump said, but we can never allow mob rule.

Trump has offered similar criticism of Black Lives Matter before, including during an interview with Fox News host Laura IngrahamLaura Anne IngrahamWill Chis Wallace's debate topics favor Biden over Trump? Trump assails Black Lives Matter in appeal to Black voters Ex-Pence aide: Trump spent 45 minutes of task force meeting 'going off on Tucker Carlson' instead of talking coronavirus MORE last month when he called the group a Marxist organization that is discriminatory and bad for Black people.

Still, Fridays criticism was striking because it came during an event where the president sought to court Black voters. Trump laid out a specific second-term agenda, which he dubbed a Platinum Plan for Black voters, that included promises to make Juneteenth a federal holiday and prosecute the Klu Klux Klan as a terrorist organization.

It came in a state that has been reliably Republican in recent presidential elections, but where polls show a tight race between Trump and Democrat Joe BidenJoe BidenNew Biden campaign ad jabs at Trump's reported 0 income tax payments Biden campaign sells 'I paid more income taxes than Trump' stickers Trump, Biden have one debate goal: Don't lose MORE. A loss in Georgia would almost certainly be too much for Trump to overcome to reach 270 electoral votes.

Protests against racial injustice have gripped the country in recent months, following Floyds death at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis in May. Trump has largely focused on the violent elements of protests and demanded law and order, while rejecting the idea that there is systemic racism in American law enforcement.

On Friday, Trump expressed confidence that the justice system would hold wrongdoers accountable and described the push to defund the police as threatening to public safety.

Those pushing to defund the police are hurting Black communities the most, Trump said. When there is police misconduct, the justice system must hold wrongdoers fully responsible and accountable, and they will do that.

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Trump assails Black Lives Matter in appeal to Black voters | TheHill - The Hill

Employees at QFC and Fred Meyer stores are saying a ban on Black Lives Matter buttons violates federal labor law and their union contract.

SEATTLE In another struggle over protest symbols in the workplace, employees at QFC and Fred Meyer stores are saying a ban on Black Lives Matter buttons violates federal labor law and their union contract.

Both companies are operated under Kroger.

On Tuesday, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21 filed an unfair labor charge with the National Labor Relations Board against QFC and Fred Meyer, both owned by Seattle-based supermarket giant Kroger.

Many employees and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union say its wrong to not allow employees to wear Black Lives Matter buttons and other messages on the job.

Kroger said they have offered wristbands with inclusive messages.

In a statement, Kroger said the bracelets were distributed in July and "represents our commitment to Standing Together with our Black associates, customers and communities against racism in all forms, and the other to serve as a reminder of Our Values that guide us."

Sam Dancy, an employee at the QFC in West Seattle, said that the wrist bands are black and white and say "standing together."

"The particular wrist band that has a sign that just says standing together. Theyre simply black and white. And standing together for what? If youre standing together with us, you would let us wear these," Dancy said.

Fred Meyer and QFC are not the only organizations that have faced heat from employees and union members over not being able to wear BLM masks, buttons or other supporting apparel.

Back in June, Starbucks initially forbid employees from wearing Black Lives Matter pins, saying the phrase could amplify divisiveness," according to the New York Times.

The company has since reversed its policy and now allows employees to wear Black Lives Matter pins and shirts.

Starbucks stands in solidarity with our Black partners, community and customers, and understands the desire to express themselves, Starbucks said in a statement. We continue to listen to our partners (employees) about how they want to take a stand for justice, while proudly wearing the green apron and standing united together.

American Airlines is also allowing employees to wear Black Lives Matter pins on their uniforms, calling it a matter of equality and not politics. Delta Airlines enacted a similar policy.

Read more here:
Fred Meyer, QFC employees say they can't wear Black Lives Matter buttons - KING5.com

Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here.

The Middletown school district has ordered two signs that it deemed to be political messages taken down at its high school, one with the phrase Black Lives Matter and the other with Make America Great Again.

Former Board of Education candidate Mike Craig posted a photo of one of the images, a rainbow-colored Black Lives Matter message to Facebook, that read, In this class, we believe Black Lives Matter, womens rights are human rights, no human is illegal, science is real, love is love, kindness is everything. The message was posted on a science teachers desk in the front of the classroom, according to a screenshot of the post.

In Craigs post, which garnered more than 1,600 comments, he encouraged parents to e-mail the school administration and demand it taken down.

Other Facebook posts showed a Make America Great Again banner, posted on a history teachers classroom door. The banner contained an American flag, President Donald Trumps name and the words, The 45th U.S. President with his slogan beneath it.

Middletown Board of Education President Pam Rogers said both teachers were asked to take their signs down after Walker received several angry emails from parents.

The reason they were taken down from what I understand is that both were disrupting the classroom, Rogers told NJ Advance Media. In other words, students were either upset about things they saw on Facebook so whether they were in favor or against the signs, it was causing a lot of disruption in the classroom.

The We believe Black Lives Matter message was created by a woman in Wisconsin in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 election, though has since become a widely shared message promoting tolerance and progressive values. The Make America Great Again slogan was registered as a service mark by Donald Trump in 2015, shortly after he announced his run for President, and has come to be seen as his main campaign slogan.

Superintendent Mary Ellen Walker notified the school community of the removal at Middletown High School North in a brief statement related to recent events in the district.

Public schools have the responsibility to present information, aligned to the state standards and our district curriculum, in an objective manner, Walker wrote. Please be advised that this matter has been reviewed and mutually resolved in support of our efforts to promote a positive learning environment for all students.

The decision comes on the heels of a June letter, signed by more than 1,000 students, alumni and parents, calling on the school district to diversify its curriculum and prioritize anti-racism.

It is also imperative that the MTPSD commits to ensuring that ongoing discussions on topics such as racism, police brutality, mass incarceration, and white privilege are held within the classroom throughout the year, the letter reads.

In the same month as the letter, Jada Tulloch, Middletown High School Norths 2020 valedictorian, called out racism at Middletown schools with a viral video posted to Instagram. After her classmates gathered outside the Board of Education building to protest their in-person graduation being canceled, Tulloch urging students to stop trying to invalidate the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests against police brutality by comparing the injustices faced by minorities to the oppression that youre facing from the Board of Ed."

Rogers, a Democrat in a town where 60 percent of residents voted for Trump in 2016, said she personally did not agree that the items equally merited removal, but that the decision was made by the superintendent and informed by the districts legal department.

Craigs Facebook post called Rogers out by name, in whats become a heated fight for Rogers' re-election with plenty of mud-slinging from her opponents. A YouTube video from the channel Middletown Anonymous was posted last week, connecting Rogers to the Defund the Police movement, which she vehemently denies.

Its just ludicrous, ridiculous, insignificant, silly," Rogers said. Theres no ill will between Pam Rogers and the Middletown Police Department.

Walker did not respond to a request for comment.

As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here.

Josh Axelrod may be reached at jaxelrod@njadvancemedia.com. Have a news tip or a story idea about New Jersey schools? Send it here.

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MAGA and Black Lives Matter signs ordered taken down at N.J. high school - nj.com

Your necessary airing of the views of young black Britons (Young, British and Black, 29 July) raises vital questions. What is important is what can be done to make their lives better. I have two adopted African-Caribbean children and have regularly discussed their experiences with them and I have found that authorities are supportive if problems are drawn to their attention.

My son was bullied by older children on his way home from primary school. When we took this up with the head, action was so effective that it stopped instantly. At secondary school a teacher used a racist insult and, instead of discussing it with us, my son wrote to the county education authorities, who contacted the school and the teacher was disciplined (he was later sacked for hitting a pupil).

Later, my sons only problems have been in London, where he was stopped too many times by the police. He has experienced no obvious racism at work, where he has been successful (but its not possible to tell if there has been any underlying prejudice).

It is clear that there are some overtly racist people in the police and elsewhere in authority, but the more universal problem is unconscious bias. Workplace training is essential and, importantly, should include tests to demonstrate to individuals how their underlying attitudes affect their responses to black people.Name and address supplied

The most disturbing aspect of the interviews with young black people is the reported amount of racism in schools. It is understandable, if wrong, that so many white children first learn racial prejudice from their parents. But it is unacceptable that so many teachers are allowing this to persist in their schools. Education is precisely the forum in which the elimination of racism should start. This issue should be fully covered in teacher training. Headteachers should make anti-racism part of their schools ethics. Teachers who do not comply should be removed.Robin WendtChester

The young voices in your special report are dignified, defiant and moving. The bullying experienced from a very young age shames white culture at every level. Jimmy McGoverns TV film Anthony is a tragic exposure of what racism can lead to. We all need to see it.John AirsLiverpool

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Listen to the young voices of the Black Lives Matter movement - The Guardian