Demonstrators are interrupting your regularly scheduled brunch to bring you a message that black lives matter.
In a movement called “Black Brunch,” protesters are targeting typically “white” diners and restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles and Oakland. After entering the diners, they read the names of black Americans killed by police, such as Michael Brown and Eric Garner. They reportedly said, “Every 28 hours, a black person in America is killed by the police. These are our brothers and sisters. Today and every day, we honor their lives.”
Protesters also asked restaurant patrons to stand and raise their fists “for black lives,” and apparently, a “good number” did just that.
Patrons at Oakland's Forge restaurant stood in a show of support for #BlackBrunch activists earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ObGYRKWJPk
— Lee Romney (@leeromney) January 4, 2015
Lee Romney, an LA Times reporter, was on the scene and uploaded an image of the protesters with the words: “Manager of Forge: ‘I think it’s beautiful.'”
#BlackBrunch protesters entering Oak restaurants 2 read names of dead. Manager of Forge: "I think it's beautiful." pic.twitter.com/1eOTlOcEEP
— Lee Romney (@leeromney) January 4, 2015
While the protest has gotten some praise online, there was a bit of backlash on Twitter, with some users calling the protest “childish” or even “desperate” and “pathetic.”
https://twitter.com/TBillsss/status/551799465175420929
Seriously, though: you come in between me and my bacon any day of the week and you're gonna get a brunch punch, people #BlackBrunch
— It’s Just Jenn (@JennJacques) January 4, 2015
More surprisingly, one former NYPD officer posted a picture of himself pointing a gun at the camera with the caption:
I'm really enjoying these Eggs Benedict so move along now. #BlackBrunchNYC pic.twitter.com/33lMgtJVAt
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) January 4, 2015