Downtown merchants share hopes, concerns over demonstration

LACONIA — On Friday, two days before a demonstration is scheduled to take place in front of City Hall to mourn the death of George Floyd and call for an end of racial injustice, downtown shop owner Melissa McCarthy shared a quote by Maya Angelou.

“We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share,” she read to a visitor to her shop.

McCarthy’s shop, The Studio at 598 Main St., is one short block from the City Hall parking lot where people are expected to gather from 2-5 p.m. on Sunday to protest the death of a man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police.

Floyd's death has sparked mostly peaceful protests across the country. Despite the arrests of all four officers involved, protests have continued over issues of systemic racism and police brutality.

McCarthy said she hoped Sunday’s event would bring out the best in the demonstrators, not the worst.

“My sense is that love is as radical an emotion as hate, and it can be a radical response,” she said.

Further down Main Street, Bob Sawyer, owner of Sawyers Jewelry was also sounding a positive tone, though tinged with a bit of apprehension.

“My hope is that it’s peaceful. That’s what America is all about,” But, he added, “I just hope people with other thoughts aren’t here.”

Police Chief Matt Canfield said Thursday that extra police will be on duty during the three-hour protest and won’t hesitate to use force to put down any unrest.

“If anyone turns to havoc or violence, we will respond,” he said.

But Canfield on Friday added that police will be taking a measured approach. He said a “healthy number” of Laconia officers would be on duty, but he has not asked for assistance from other law enforcement agencies.

“I don’t think there’s a call to have 100 officers on standby,” he said.

Police monitoring social media have seen posts that speak of possible violence during the protest.

’’There’s a lot of rhetoric online, but what's true and what’s not true, it’s hard to say,” he said.

He said officers want to “support, protect, and ensure the safety” of the protesters. But he said the department does have a contingency plan to deal with violence and hold accountable anyone who breaks the law.

Canfield said Nezir Alic, a local college student who is organizing the event, told him that upward of 500 people are expected to show up for the demonstration.

Cindy Tomlinson, who owns the New Leaf, located next to McCarthy’s shop, said it is important that people have the opportunity to protest peacefully, but she added that she is worried if “a few bad actors” turn to violence.

Charlie St. Clair owns the Laconia Antique Center, which is one of only two downtown businesses which are open on Sunday.

“I hope it will be well-attended and that people will have a chance to have their views heard,” he said. “I think it’s good for people to take part in public statements,” added St. Clair, who also serves in the state Legislature.

Sawyer said that it was unfortunate that the controversy  has occurred as the nation continues to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“The world is a little bit upside down now,” he said.

He took a long pause and said, “I want people to have their rights, but I want them to behave.”