protests

More than 100 protesters were gathered in front of the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Thursday, blocking the Loyola Avenue and breezeway entrances, chanting phrases of resistance like, “The people united will never be defeated!” and awaiting the signal — a shout of “Hands up!” that means someone, possibly a lawyer or landlord is trying to enter the courts.

By now we’ve heard time and time again how the moment we’re all living through is historic, anxious and unprecedented. A global pandemic has killed hundreds of thousands, wrecked the global economy, and created record unemployment. Anti-racism protests have mobilized millions of people around the world calling for major reforms to policing and public policy. It’s changed the way many of us live, work and think.

Action continues in New Orleans and Baton Rouge this week with rallies for racial justice, sanitation workers' rights, mutual aid and more. 

One of this week's actions includes a crawfish boil.

The world erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day. In New Orleans, activists have been holding rallies calling for police accountability and criminal justice reform in the weeks since then.

New Orleans Public Radio has been covering those rallies, and we talked to some New Orleans residents about why they’re out protesting — and their hopes for the future.