"black lives matter"

Palmer’s police chief returned to work Monday after a nearly three-week suspension over Facebook posts he made calling the Black Lives Matter movement a “hate group.”

Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll said that the department has a “progressive mindset” when it comes to its use of force policies, but acknowledged there are areas where the department needs to improve.

Protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement drew thousands of residents from around Southcentral Alaska who marched peacefully over the weekend. One of the most-watched – and well-attended – was a protest in Palmer that raised concerns about violence but ended mostly peacefully on Saturday. The march, advertised as the Palmer Vigil for…

Organizers read the names of black and brown lives lost to police violence. They also spoke about long-standing race issues in Juneau, namely in public education and the state criminal justice system.

“We recognize that too often African-Americans, Alaska Natives, and other people of color are not treated with the same dignity and respect as white members of our communities,” the justices wrote.

While Alaska’s rallies and protests have remained peaceful some Alaskans have reported instances of intimidation, backlash, or resistance. More demonstrations are planned for this weekend.

One protestor says it can be difficult to see the impacts of systemic police violence in a town where officers generally have a good relationship with the community.

Dunleavy expressed concern that protests could spread COVID-19.

Alaskans in the state’s three largest cities take to the streets in response to the death of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis who died after being arrested.

Photos show uniformed police officers talking with smiling residents, dancing and playing basketball at McAdams Park in Wichita, Kan.