A small protest of about 10 people was held outside of the Kittitas County Courthouse in conjunction with protests taking place around the country on May 30. Protests are being held in response to the killing of George Floyd, a black man who lived in Minneapolis, by a police officer.

Protesters in Ellensburg stated that they were standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and to acknowledge the racism that the Black community faces.

The protesters held handmade signs bearing messages of support for the movement. Others had the phrase “I can’t breathe,” referencing the words of Floyd as he died. The phrase began being widely recognized in association with the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of Eric Garner, who said it 11 times as he was killed by a police officer in 2014.