FERNDALE, Wash. — While there were small groups trading jeers, rallies held today, July 31st, appeared to have accomplished their goals of visibility in the community and education within their groups.
A group of about 50 in support of the Ferndale Police gathered on both sides of Main Street just west of 4th Avenue. They played music and listened to speakers according to 1 of the group.
Another group of about 200 gathered at the Ferndale High School parking lot between 4pm and 4:30pm and then marched into downtown via 2nd Avenue to Centennial Riverside Park. At the park, they listened to the Beet Street Band, a band from Bellingham that typically plays at protests and demonstrations according to a band member, and heard from speakers as well.
Ferndale Police officers and Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies maintained a visible presence in the area during the rallies that were held between 4:30pm and 7pm.
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Click for more informationA group of about a dozen took up a position on the north side of Main Street, opposite the Black Lives Matter rally. While most of the group kept to themselves, a few frequently jeered at those attending the rally and some at the rally took up opposing positions on the other side of Main Street, also with a few adding jeers of their own in response.
Speakers at the Black Lives Matter rally encouraged rally attendees to not engage the other group but at one point a handful of people from both sides were involved in what appeared to be a physical altercation that was quickly ended as Ferndale Police officers separated those involved and returned them to their respective groups. Officers could later be seen interviewing witnesses and reviewing videos taken during the incident. There was no official word from police about whether or what criminal charges the participants may face.
After the incident, the jeering appeared to end.
About 6pm, some from the Supporters of Ferndale Police group moved down to join the group positioned across from the Black Lives Matter rally.
About 6:45pm, the Black Lives Matter group left to begin the march back through downtown to the high school parking lot. This too, appeared to have been uneventful.
