YUBA/SUTTER, CA (MPG) – Residents of Marysville and Yuba City have joined the nation-wide outrage over the killing of George Floyd on May 25^th, in Minneapolis by a police officer.

So far, protests in the area have remained peaceful. Over the weekend, a vigil in honor of Floyd was held at Ellis Lake in Marysville. At 6:30 in the evening of Sunday, May 31^st, dozens of peaceful protestors gathered at Yuba Park at 10^th and Yuba Streets and made their way, carrying signs that read “Black lives Matter”, “I can’t breathe” and “Justice for George Floyd” to the Ellis Lake Gazebo. They were joined by uniformed Marysville police officers and Marysville Police Chief Chris Sachs. The march culminated the Ellis Lake Gazebo, where the crowd paid their respects to Floyd with a moment of silence followed by powerful words from both the community and law enforcement present. Marysville Police Chief Sachs addressed the crowd sharing his and his department’s disgust at the treatment and ultimate death of Floyd. In regard to the protest, Chief Sachs said, “This sets the example for the region on how we can have a vigil and we can know what’s right and know what’s wrong and we can express everything we need to express without any violence behind it, like we’re seeing all over the media. So I applaud you guys for that.”

Peaceful expressions of frustration and anger over the Floyd killing continue in the area. Protesters again organized outside of the Yuba City Mall on Monday, June 1^st, waving signs at cars as they passed. Yuba City Police Chief Rob Landon supplies cold bottles of water to the participants.

Unlike other areas where protests have turned violent, the outrage over Floyd’s death has united the community and law enforcement agencies in the effort to raise awareness without violence. County Sheriff Brandon Barnes and Yuba Sutter Sheriff Wendell Anderson have made statements, and along with the Yuba City and Marysville Police Departments, supporting their citizens' right to express themselves while maintaining the peace.