New at Louisville's Jefferson Square Park: A memorial for Breonna Taylor and 2020 protests

A new historical marker recognizing the 2020 protests that followed the police killing of Breonna Taylor has been unveiled at Jefferson Square Park, a central location for the demonstrations.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer joined members of Taylor's family along with family members of David "YaYa" McAtee and Tyler Gerth on Wednesday in a private ceremony "at the request of the families" to mark the occasion. The marker recognizes their deaths and details what took place at the downtown park in the summer of 2020, where protests for racial equity took place in Louisville and across the U.S.

Taylor was killed in March 2020 during a raid by Louisville Metro Police officers serving a no-knock warrant at her apartment. Her death, and other high-profile killings of Black Americans like Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, sparked a protest movement in the city that summer that lasted through the end of the year.

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McAtee was killed at a barbecue stand he operated in early June as LMPD officers and National Guard members worked to disperse a crowd that had gathered near the property following one of the protests. And Gerth, a photographer who had documented the protests, was shot and killed at the park later that month.

Steven Lopez was charged with murder in Gerth's death, with charges still pending in court, while former LMPD officer Katie Crews pleaded guilty to misdemeanor federal charges related to McAtee's death.

In his statement Wednesday, Fischer said the memorial "will in no way diminish the tremendous pain that they suffer still,” but was an important step in acknowledging the history of what took place that summer, along with "the important reforms and policy changes that resulted and are still underway.”

“I remain deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna’s death and the deaths of YaYa and Tyler, and the incredible pain their families and our entire community experienced in the summer of 2020 and still to this day,” Fischer said. “My team and I agreed early on that the only way to honor that pain was to find the truth that leads to justice – and to take the necessary steps to ensure this never happens again.”

Breonna Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, was in attendance Wednesday. In the release, she said she was "grateful" to stand alongside the other families and the marker is an important step in "ensuring our babies do not get swept away in history."

"There is so much work to be done, but actions like the one taken today help further that work," Taylor said.

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Not everyone was pleased with the new memorial, though.

River City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 614, the union that represents LMPD, pointed out the marker, which notes protesters referred to Jefferson Square Park as "Injustice Square Park" during the demonstrations, was placed near a monument that honors Louisville police officers who have been killed in the line of duty. That placement, the statement said, is futher proof that the police monument should be moved to a location that "truly values law enforcement officers."

"The placing of this (new) marker in that spot by the Fischer administration shows a complete lack of reverence for our fallen officers and their families," the FOP statement said. "Gestures such as these are part of the reason so many officers feel disenfranchised by this administration and contribute to the extreme shortage of officers on the LMPD."

The new marker, labeled "2020 Racial Justice Protests," says the following:

"Built in 1978, Jefferson Square Park memorializes first responders killed in the line of duty. In 2020, it became a rallying place for those demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, a Black woman tragically killed by Louisville Metro Police serving a search warrant. Protesters called this space 'Injustice Square Park' and held demonstrations that drew global attention."

"Over 2,000 U.S. cities saw racial justice protests fueled by the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and others. Locally, these demonstrations prompted police reform and policy changes to improve racial equity in the city. Many here also mourned Louisvillians David McAtee and photographer Tyler Gerth, killed in incidents related to the protests."

The unveiling was a private ceremony at the request of the families of the three slain individuals. Before it, Fischer thanked the families of the three people for their contributions to the city, adding, "the marker will in no way diminish the tremendous pain that they suffer still, but we believed it was critical that we acknowledge the history behind the tragedies of 2020, the resulting demonstrations, and reason for the important reforms and policy changes that resulted and are still underway."

Reach Caleb Stultz at cstultz@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Breonna Taylor memorial goes up at Louisville Jefferson Square Park