Peabody Protest, Counterprotest End Peacefully

PEABODY, MA — Black Lives Matter protesters gathered adjacent to a pro-police "Back The Blue" demonstration at the Big Y Plaza in Peabody Tuesday afternoon.

About 40 people gathered for the "Defend The Blue" protest, according to the Salem News, which first reported this story. The counterprotest had about 30, mostly younger, participants. Peabody police were on hand as neutral observers.

"I think that it's really important when there are people out here outwardly supporting bigotry and lies and frankly just, like, the suppression of free speech, that it's really important to come out in strength and solidarity and show them that that's not going to fly with us and that this is our city," Heidy Salama, who participated in the Black Lives Matter protest, told the newspaper.