[Editor’s Note: Listen to excerpts from Rev. Greg Drumwright’s press conference from November 1, 2020, held at Tucker Street Apartments in Burlington at end of story.]
Rev. Greg Drumwright of Greensboro, leader of the “I am Change Legacy March to the Polls” in Graham on Saturday, expressed disappointment at the fact that Graham police and Alamance County sheriff’s officers halted the rally, using pepper spray vapors to force the crowd to disperse.
Drumwright sometimes referred to the pepper spray as “tear gas” during his comments during a Sunday afternoon press conference.
Drumwright drew contrasts in the way he and marchers were treated Saturday (Oct. 31) versus earlier this year (on July 11) when a somewhat larger march and rally were conducted, also in Graham. That event was generally more peaceful, although two people, including his son, were arrested at that event, compared to 23 on Saturday.
He also said that he would organize another march in Graham on Tuesday, Election Day, which was also the first day he and others who were arrested were to be allowed back in Graham after a 72-hour hiatus imposed by the magistrate’s office as a condition of their release.
A larger crowd of about 400 did join Drumwright on Tuesday for his march, this time using the sidewalks (since no provision had been made to close any streets) to the courthouse.
The march and rally went off without incident; there were no arrests.
Excerpts follow from Drumwright, Burlington mayor Ian Baltutis, and Dionne Liles, a Durham woman arrested on Saturday, October 31, who also runs a downtown business in Graham:
