First-ever Black Lives Matter protest held in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Tenn. — A small group of Black Lives Matter supporters take to the streets of Lexington Tuesday to spread their message in a peaceful protest.

“What the message is, black lives matter too,” marcher Latricia Cox said.

Angela Bryant traveled to Lexington from the surrounding area specifically for the protest. “To come to a community to see people that are so divided just by the color of the skin, it just really does something to me.”

In a walk that starts at Beech Lake, those supporting the BLM movement are met by others supporting other causes.

“With everything going on in the country right now, we jut feel it’s important to get out here and show our law enforcement that we support them,” Cerina Childress said.

Kat Pollock stopped by Beech Lake shortly before the march began. “Everybody needs to get along. We’re all God’s children. So we all need to get along. All lives matter,” she said.

Some residents said Lexington doesn’t need protests of any kind. “Out here in the streets it’s all respectable. I get respected. I give respect,” Staffon Thomas said.

“That’s what it all boils down to, and when I see you protesting in a small town that doesn’t have any issue, why try to fix something that’s not broken?” Thomas said.

The BLM activists say they aren’t taking a stance against the police officers and the deputies seen cruising behind them and stationed along Highway 412. Instead, they said they hope to bring attention to the bigger picture across the country.

“Let’s be unified in saying that we’re not going to accept police brutality against anybody,” Cox said.

Additional officers and deputies were assigned a special detail along the protest route. Sheriff Brian Duke said the day was a success because everyone stayed safe.