AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following protests in Austin over the in-custody death of George Floyd, some people were up early Monday cleaning up the streets — literally.
Kia Yanna Monroe, one of the protesters, was out picking up trash along with others left behind in areas where protesters assembled.
“I’ve been watching people going live. I was here protesting on Saturday. And I just noticed that after the protest there’s a lot of garbage, a lot of bottles, a lot of stuff that’s on the ground. Just wanted to come out and clean up a little bit,” she said.
“I think it’s important. I understand why everybody’s out here. I’m part of it, but I also think our city needs to be cleaned too,” she said.
Monroe said it’s “just the right thing to do,” and that other people were out cleaning during the weekend.
“I just decided to do it today,” she said.
Monroe said all the violence and looting was hard to see since the protests are supposed to be peaceful.
“It was a little rough being down here cause some people are using the Black Lives Matter in a very negative way, trying to cause more commotion that it needs to be, she said. “It’s supposed to be peaceful protests, and some people turning it into making it become violent which is not the answer.”
Everybody, especially police, she said, needs to sit down and talk about how to move forward.
“Clearly, conversation needs to be had,” she said. “Everybody needs to listen to each other, especially the cops. They way they’re handling it now, I don’t think is the right way cause you are shooting at us, macing us. You are tear-gassing us when all we’re trying to do is peacefully protest and wanting somebody to listen to us.”
