What ever you are hearing in the media isn’t true.
.
It is extremely peaceful. There is a lot of graffiti but that is only within the Chaz.
.
Other than that, everyone is calm. No broken glass. The park has been converted to a tent town where those who have time sleep in the Chaz.
.
It is extremely organized with medics, volunteers, donation stations and clean up crews. There are gardens. There are vendors selling food and other items. There are corners where you can eat for free.
.
In contrast, because I’m about balance, the cops were peaceful despite the growing crowd of protesters ‘oinking’ and screaming ‘pig’. There also were some very entitled protesters who felt like their whiteness should allow them to take over speeches and demand praise for their time.
.
I call them ‘Hippy Hanks’ and ‘Hippy Hillaries’. My dreadlocks was a beacon for them and they followed me around, trying to get me to go do whatever public facing task would give them ‘color cred’. Obvious, I did not, but it did sadden me that white privilege couldn’t take a back seat. Not even in The Chaz.
.
One of the humorous moments was seeing quarantined tech bros walking their dogs and trying to pick up Protestor chicks. Yes. It was like Grub Hub for Hoes. If she was wearing Burning Man jeggings and had green hair, you saw the Tech Bros introducing their golden retriever to them.
.
All in all, it was an interesting experience. It was cool to see the white people who did not want praise spouting off history and rattling off police brutality statistics.
.
It was cool to see people cleaning up after themselves and policing themselves. Note: You can be kicked out of The Chaz if you’re an asshole.
.
I can see why Trump is terrified. If this is what happens when people govern, feed and care for themselves, then what do we need him, or the police, for?