On one of the hottest nights of the summer, a small crowd of 50 protesters shut down the biggest intersection in downtown Chattanooga with a hallelujah chorus.
The group, organized by Concerned Citizens for Justice, sang out a gospel tune in unison, invoking the need for love and peace, but many of their chants were shouted in anger.
“No justice. No peace. No racist police,” the protesters screamed as they walked in a circle, occupying the crosswalks of Fourth and Broad streets.
They shouted “defund the police” and rattled poster boards bearing the same message at the cars that slowly piled up on the blocked streets and passers-by standing on the sidewalks. Other signs read “end the new Jim Crow” and “indict the system.”
A contingent of two dozen officers with the Chattanooga Police Department stood calmly on all sides, directing traffic away from the protesters. When the protest began to move on down another street, occupying two lanes of traffic, four squad cars cruised behind them at a crawl, with their blue lights flashing.