Photos: Black Lives Matter Rally Draws Crowd In Burke

BURKE, VA — A Black Lives Matter rally in Burke in response to the death of George Floyd and other black Americans had a sizable turnout Thursday afternoon.

The rally was held at the intersection of Burke Centre Parkway and Roberts Parkway starting at 4 p.m. It included a nine-minute moment of silence, the approximate time a Minneapolis police officer keeps a knee on Floyd's neck in the video that gained national attention. Attendees marched on one side of the parkway, and Fairfax County Police were on scene for traffic control.

A statement posted on the Black Lives Matter Burke Instagram page said turnout "exceeded expectations."

"While imposed upon a great American tragedy, the community of Burke Va was able to come together in ways never seen before, showing the love and greatness that resides within our community," the organizer wrote.

Some attendees mentioned that the protest was an uncommon sight for Burke.

Local resident Tamara Eden attended the rally with her teenage kids and shared her photos with Patch. She said it was her kids' first protest.

"I saw people ignoring their differences to work toward a common goal, both peacefully and passionately," she wrote in a message. "And the privilege that in our country that we have this right to go out and express outrage over something in order to drive change that needs to occur was not lost on me."