Monday\u2019s protest was announced on Facebook by the San Juan College Young Democratic Socialists of America but organized by a group of women of color who did not want their names shared, according to the event description<\/a>.<\/p>\n An organizer, who spoke to The Durango Herald <\/em>during the protest but asked that her name not be published, said, \u201cI am an African American woman. This is life or death for me.\u201d<\/p>\n She said there was a smaller protest on Saturday \u2013 about 10 people \u2013 but she partnered with local organizations to spread the word about Monday\u2019s protest.<\/p>\n \u201cI was nervous, but I have faith and trust in my community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Clarrissa Ribera, who has lived in Farmington for the past 10 years, said some residents are proud of their racism.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re out here,\u201d Ribera said. \u201cIt\u2019s scary to know the people around you are secretly racist.\u201d<\/p>\n Most protesters wore masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Of the 12 people interviewed during the event, protesters said they came out to protest systemic racism, police brutality, to remember those killed in police custody, to demand justice for Floyd.<\/p>\n Alyanna Ayala, who attended with a group of friends, said she wanted justice for Floyd and every person that\u2019s been killed.<\/p>\n \u201cAll lives don\u2019t matter until black lives matter,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Law enforcement officers nationwide have condemned the death of Floyd and the officer\u2019s use of force.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we as law enforcement leaders cannot plainly condemn this kind of event, we are failing our profession, our officers and our communities,\u201d Farmington Police Chief Steven Hebbe said on Facebook.<\/p>\n The protest Monday was also attended by San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari, along with city and state officers. One organizer said the officers showed they valued their community by standing with the protesters.<\/p>\n On Monday afternoon, the Farmington Police Department said it was aware of a planned peaceful protest tonight and added in a statement, \u201cWe are here to assist citizens who are exercising their first amendment rights.\u201d<\/p>\n A 2019 study<\/a> found one in every 1,000 black men can expect to be killed by police. Black Americans are also twice as likely to be shot and killed by police as white Americans, according to a Washington Post database<\/a> of police-involved shootings. One study found<\/a> 63% of black Americans worried about police using deadly force on them or a family member, compared with 21% of white Americans who said they feared the use of police force. The same study found 78% of black Americans saw the deaths of African Americans during encounters with the police as a broader problem.<\/p>\n One protester, who only wanted to be known as Sam, said, \u201cThere are too many people dying from systemic racism. We\u2019re tired of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Throughout the protest, organizers encouraged people not to be antagonize by people driving by or a small crowd of people that had gathered to watch the protest in the parking lot. There is another protest scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, according to organizers.<\/p>\n As the more-than-hourlong protest ended, protesters knelt and prayed for eight minutes \u2013 the amount of time the officer is said to have knelt on Floyd\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n They rose to the call of \u201cSay his name.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd answered, \u201cGeorge Floyd.\u201d<\/p>\n