GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — A viral video of a man confronting a Black lives Matter protester in Germantown has the city, and other protesters, responding.
In a video that’s been viewed half a million times, Eddie Nelson said he was standing near Saddle Creek in Germantown on Saturday afternoon, holding a sign that said, “Black Lives Matter.”
He said he wanted to get the message of Black Lives Matter to areas outside of Memphis.
Nelson said he was approached several times by a man who identified himself as Lloyd Crawford.
“I turned the video on for his safety and for my safety, I didn’t want any question as to what happened,” Nelson said.
Since then, the video has generated a lot of reaction and brought demonstrators to Germantown again on Monday.
Protesters said they went to the business listed for Crawford because they wanted answers, but they were met with locked doors. They said they’re protesting to start a conversation.
“We need to be out here in Germantown, where they don’t see it,” Antonio Gates said. “When they get pulled over by the police, they get officer friendly. In my neighborhood, we get the officer that’s going to pin us on the ground and put a knee in our back.”
The desire to start a real conversation led protestors to an address listed for Crawford, hoping to confront what they called inaccurate messages about what Black Lives Matter is about.
They said they wanted to turn the moment into a catalyst for change.
“It’s the same thing that I wanted when I was standing on the corner,” Nelson said. “It’s just to get this simple message that Black Lives Matter, and Black Lives Matter doesn’t stop at one zip code to another. It’s everywhere.”
WREG tried to contact Crawford and Financial Consulting Group, where his business card said he worked, but we never received a response.
The mayor of Germantown issued a statement about the incident that read, in part, “We also want to be clear – our community is for everyone. You are welcome. You are safe … The voice of one individual does not represent the voices of the more than 40,000 people who call Germantown their home.”
