MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There were signs proclaiming “Black Lives Matter.”
There was a tent and table set up with a sign that read “Democratic Socialists of America Memphis Chapter.”
And a pretty good group of protestors showed up at Memphis City Hall. They yelled and gathered around a locked gate at City Hall’s front door.
Normally this would be a City Council meeting day. But the coronavirus quarantine has resulted in their meetings held in computer chat room settings.
This was going to be a busy day. There were several items on a very long agenda about police procedures.
There was a plan to remove a ballot question that would, if approved, allow new Memphis Police and Firefighters to live 50 miles from the city failed.
Michalyn Easter-Thomas, a freshman council member argued the referendum was a bad idea.
“If this referendum passes,” she said, “… all eligible 3,000 plus Memphis Police and fire have the options to begin a mass exodus from our city. All new hires as well.”
The vote to remove the ballot question failed - six votes in favor and seven against.