Close to 50 people gathered at the Greene County Courthouse in Jefferson Tuesday afternoon for a protest against racial injustice and police brutality.

The local rally joins others that have happened across the U.S. in response to the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Rippey resident and co-organizer Dale Hanaman said he was inspired to do something in Greene County after watching a six-hour march take place in Des Moines.

“Small towns need to stand up and speak on behalf of brothers and sisters who are black and brown. So I decided we needed to do something here in Greene County.”

The protest started with a gathering on the south lawn of the courthouse before the group walked around the courthouse on the sidewalk carrying signs and posters raising awareness of racial injustice and police brutality. Hanaman says police brutality is part of the whole picture of these protests.

“But here in Greene County we don’t see much of police brutality, but it goes on. We have to have another way of dealing with people who are different, who don’t appear the same way, who don’t look the same way but who are still brothers and sisters.”

There were a few people who were against the public protest. One person drove around the square with a President Donald Trump campaign flag and a U.S. flag, one person shouted, “You’re not the truth people,” and a third person yelled as he was driving by the protest, “You’re lying in the garbage. You’re all white fools.” 

The peaceful protest lasted for about one hour. Hanaman is looking to hold future protests in the coming weeks.