Providing Aid to Protesters

How the community supported protesters to keep their messages going.

PROTESTERS ANDPOLICE SEEMD TOTURN THE TONE OFMANY OF THE RECENTRALLIES IN OMAHA.THIS WEEKEND...OMAHA POLICE HITSOCIAL MEDIA TOTHANK THOSE WHOSUPPORTED BOTHOFFICERS...AND PROTESTERS.POLICE TWEETED OUTTHIS PICTURE OF AGROUP OF FAMILY ANDFRIENDS WHODONATED THREETRUCKLOADS OFFOOD AND DRINKS...HOPING TO KEEPEVERYONE SAFE.DESPITE THE HEAT,TEAR GAS, ANDOTHER ELEMENTS,GROUPS OFPROTESTERS STILLMADE THEIR VOICESHEARD FOR MORETHAN A WEEK AROUNDOMAHA.BUT A SMALLERGROUP OF PEOPLEWAS ON STANDBY TOMAKE SURE THEY GOTTHE AID THEY NEEDEDTO KEEP THEIRMESSAGES GOING.REPORTER JOHNMADDEN HAS MOREON THE PEOPLE YOUMIGHT HAVE MISSEDDURING THEPROTESTS AND THEIMPORTANT ROLETHEY PLAYED.NATS IF YOU LISTEN INCLOSELY ON THISPROTEST "WATER FORANYBODY" YOU'LLHEAR A SMALLER,MORE SUBTLE SOUND"WE JUST BELIEVEBEING PRESENTWHEN PEOPLE AREGOING THROUGHSTRUGGLES, AND ALOT KIDS OUT HEREAND A LOT OF ADULTS,THIS IS A STRUGGLE."CAPT.JOHN GANTNER WITHTHE SALVATION ARMYSAYS WITHEVERYTHING GOINGON ACROSS THE AREAHE WANTED TO HELPTHOSE MAKING THEIRVOICES HEARD "THESALVATION ARMY WILLSHOW UP AT JUSTABOUT ANYTHING, ADISASTER ORUSUALLY BY REQUESTBUT WE HAVE WATER,GATORADE FORHYDRATION, A FEWSNACKS." GANTNER ISPROVIDING THOSESNACKS AND WATERTO PROTESTERS ONTHIS 90 DEGREE DAY,WHICH IS MUCHNEEDED "IT'S JUSTEXCITING TO SEETHAT THERE AREPEOPLE THAT HAVENOT ONLY SIGNMAKING SKILLS ANDTHEY CAN PROTESTAND DONATE BUTTHEY CAN DONATETHEIR TIME AND THEIRMEDICAL SKILLS ANDTHEY CAN BRING THESNACKS THAT PEOPLENEED DURING THESETIMES TO SURVIVE INHOT WEATHER." AIMEECORREA WAS THE ATTHE PROTEST ANDSAYS SEEING PEOPLEHELPING IN THISMANNER IS INSPIRING,BUT GANTNER IS ONEOF MANY WHO'VEASSISTED ALONG THEWAY NATS WHENPROTESTERS WERETEAR GASSED,PEOPLE CAME TOTHEIR AID WITHWATER AND MILK TORINSE THEIR FACE,OTHER'S HAD FIRSTAID KITS READY FORTHOSE WITH ANYINJURIES...AND THEIR HELPHASN'T GONEUNNOTICED "THEY'VEBEEN VERYSUPPORTIVE AND IT'SJUST ONE WAY OFPROTESTING AND ONEWAY OF SUPPORTINGTHE BLM MOVEMENT."GANTNER SAYS THEDEATH OF GEORGEFLOYD WAS FELTWITHIN THESALVATION ARMY, ANDHE'S GLAD TO HELP INANY WAY POSSIBLEDURING THESE TIMES"GEORGE FLOYD WHOWAS KILLED INMINNESOTA HE WASAN EMPLOYEE OF THESALVATION ARMY INTHE PAST HE WORKEDFOR THE SA FOR ACOUPLE OF YEARS ASA SECURITY GUARDRIGHT THERE INMINNESOTA SO IT'SNEAR AND DEAR TOUS AT THE SA THELOSS OF HIS LIFE, ANYLIFE, AND WE JUSTWANT TO STAND UPFOR WHAT'S RIGHT."IN OMAHA, JOHNMADDEN 3NNTHOSE AT THEPROTEST IN PAPILLIONLAST THURSDAY ALSOSAY THE PAPILLIONPOLICE CHIEFPROVIDED WATER TOHELP KEEP EVERYONEHYDRATED AS WELL.