Roughly 150 people showed up to a demonstration to honor the late U.S. Rep. for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District John Lewis near downtown Gainesville Thursday night.
The demonstration was a part of the “Good Trouble Lives On” protests across the country that saw people honor the late civil rights activist on the fifth anniversary of his death to oppose the Trump administration.
“I work as a therapist in the area, so I see firsthand how the current administration is impacting a lot of my clients,” one of the demonstrators said. “I saw John Lewis give a speech at a March For Our Lives protest in 2017 … and it was one of the most influential moments of my life.”
“It’s nice to see people doing something,” another demonstrator, who is also a therapist, said. “A lot of our clients are very, very scared.”
Indivisible Hall hosted the demonstration, with organizer Dallas Thompson giving part of the speech at Roosevelt Square before they marched to the bridge overlooking Jesse Jewell Parkway.
“[John Lewis] didn’t just speak the truth, he lived it,” Thompson said. “He lit a torch of justice, and he carried it across bridges, into jail cells, and all the way to Congress. And now that torch is ours.”
Susan Daniel is also an Indivisible Hall member. She said Lewis is an inspiration.
“I do believe that people are getting more courageous,” Daniel said. “I think there are a lot of people who probably know that cruelty is not strength, and they’re acting like it is. John Lewis never did that, and he’s an inspiration to me because of his courage.”
Lewis’ famous message to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble” was meant to encourage people to work towards justice and positive change. It was a call to action that the demonstrators in Gainesville, as well as over 20 other locations in Georgia and hundreds across the country, responded to on Thursday.
The demonstration began at around 7:30 p.m. in Gainesville and dispersed at around 9 p.m.
“I’m here to hopefully make a difference and to cause some good, good trouble,” Laura Cooley said.
