Reporting from Dallas — “Black Lives Still Matter.”
The slogan appeared on a protest sign as hundreds of activists met at a church in Dallas three days after a gunman killed five police officers at a downtown protest against racially driven police violence.
The message was clear: The cause of the Black Lives Matter movement is just as valid now as it was last week. The killings, carried out by a black man targeting white officers, did not change that fact that across the country police violence is disproportionately directed at black men.
The activists have nonetheless been forced to defend the movement as they contemplate the best way to carry on the momentum that has been building for two years.
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Since the Dallas killings, the El Paso police chief told reporters that Black Lives Matter was “a radical hate group.” Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani called the group “inherently racist” and said that it essentially put targets on the backs of police officers.
And a white police detective in Detroit was demoted after he called the activists “racists” and “terrorists” in a Facebook post in which he wrote that he had considered taking a day off after the “outrageous act perpetrated against my brothers.”
Worries that such criticism would derail the cause were on display at the meeting Sunday night at Friendship West Baptist Church.
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“It’s going to be very important for us to go ahead and acknowledge how angry, how painful and how confused this situation is,” the church’s leader, the Rev. Freddie Haynes, told the mostly black crowd gathered in the pews.
“Black rage is founded on wounds in the soul,” he said. “There are wounds on our soul.”
The Black Lives Matter movement coalesced into a national political force after the 2014 police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
Organizers have met with President Obama and other national leaders and confronted the two major presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. One of the leaders, DeRay Mckesson, unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, a black man injured in police custody.
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The movement’s latest fuel came from the police killing last week of one black man in Louisiana and another in Minnesota.
But after the Dallas shootings, the activists found themselves having to disassociate the movement from the shooter, Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old former Army reservist who after a long standoff was killed by a police robot carrying explosives.
“This man gets plastered all over TV and they say that’s our men,” the Rev. Isaac Steen told the crowd Sunday.
Before the shootings, Sharay Santora, a 36-year-old hair stylist, was making progress in reaching out to conservative white Texans, recently winning over a Trump supporter, she told the other activists.
But now with tensions running high, she said she’s struggling to present Black Lives Matter in a way people can understand and support. She views the issue of racially directed police violence as the civil rights struggle of her time — one that cannot afford to pause, even briefly.
At the same time, she said, “just because we’re standing for our movement doesn’t mean we can’t go to the funerals” for the fallen police officers.
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Magnus, the 8-year-old son of slain Dallas Police Officer Lorne Ahrens, rides with his father’s coffin during the funeral Wednesday afternoon. Sr. Cpl. Ahrens and four other officers were killed in an attack during a Black Lives Matter protest on July 7.
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Pallbearers carry the casket of Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas on Wednesday afternoon.
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Magnus, the 8-year-old son of slain Dallas Police Officer Lorne Ahrens, speaks to officers after his father’s funeral Wednesday. Sr. Cpl. Ahrens was buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas.
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Funeral services are held for Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times )
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People line up outside the funeral service for Dallas Police Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.
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Vice President Joe Biden, left, Laura Bush and former President George W. Bush join President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the memorial service in Dallas for five slain policemen.
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Dallas Police Chief David Brown, center, listens as President Obama speaks at the memorial service.
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Police officers from across the country and civilians attend a visitation for slain Police Sgt. Michael Smith at Mary Immaculate Church in Farmers Branch, Texas.
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A crowd gathers before the memorial at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, where President Obama and former President George W. Bush spoke.
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Police officers take part in the “Dallas Strong” candlelight vigil at City Hall on July 11, 2016, in honor of the five Dallas police officers killed last week.
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Police officers at the vigil.
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Kristy Zamarripa, daughter of slain Dallas Police Officer Patricio Zamarripa, is held by her grandmother in front of a photo of the officer at the vigil.
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A woman wipes her tears in a section of seats reserved for family members of the slain police officers.
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Dallas Police Officer Victor Guzman, who was at the sniper shooting scene, holds a candle. His wife, Ciprina, is in front of him.
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Family and friends of fallen police officers take part in the vigil.
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Officer Marc Macklemore tries to remain composed during a memorial for the slain officers at the vigil.
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Heidi Smith, center, wife of slain Dallas Police Officer Sgt. Michael Smith, is comforted by her dauther Victoria, left, as they take part in a candlelight vigil at City Hall on Monday.
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Rick Zamarripa, father of slain Officer Patrick Zamarripa, attends the vigil.
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Five portraits of the officers killed last week are displayed at the vigil.
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Honor guards put up the portraits.
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Community members hold hands in prayer at a Dallas church on Sunday.
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Porsha Jackson, right, speaks during a community meeting at a Dallas church on Sunday.
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Prayers continue to be said July 10 as the memorial in front of Dallas police headquarters continues to grow.
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Dallas police officers wipe tears following a prayer July 10.
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People pray July 10 at Dallas police headquarters.
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Black Lives Matter activists hold hands at a protest July 10 in Dallas.
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Black Lives Matter demonstrators share a group hug with All Lives Matter activists July 10 in Dallas.
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Samuel Barnes, left, who was dispatched with emergency medical services after the Dallas attack, watches a Black Lives Matter demonstration July 10.
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Ella Fest, 3, looks at a makeshift memorial in downtown Dallas on Sunday.
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A wounded Shetamia Taylor, center, tears up as she recalls the Dallas police officers who saved her after she was wounded during a sniper attack Thursday night in which five officers were killed. At the news conference at a Dallas hospital, Taylor is surrounded by her sister, Teresa Williams, her husband, Lavar Taylor, and her children behind her.
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Shetamia Taylor, right, who is recovering after being shot, hugs Angie Wisner, who helped save her son during the deadly attack when a gunman killed five police officers and wounded other officers and civilians in Dallas during a peaceful protest.
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Worshippers come together for a service and town hall meeting at the Potter’s House megachurch in Dallas on Sunday, days after five officers were killed by a sniper during a peacerful Black Lives Matter protest. Bishop T.D. Jakes told the mostly black congregation of the city’s police officers: “When wickedness raised its head, they stood up for our protection.”
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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Saundra Sterling, an aunt who raised Alton Sterling after his mother died, is welcomed by worshippers at the Potter’s House church in Dallas. Alton Sterling was shot to death by police in Baton Rouge, La., last week.
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Elizabeth Holmes, 87, gives out hugs during a service at the Potter’s House church in Dallas, days after five law enforcement officers were killed by a sniper.
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Father Stephen Jasso greets Rick Zamarripa, father of slain police officer Patrick Zamarripa, during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas on July 10, 2016.
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A picture frame with two portraits of slain police Officer Patrick Zamarripa sits on the pew as family members stand to pray during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church, in Dallas on July 10, 2016.
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Rick Zamarripa, father of slain police Officer Patrick Zamarripa, weeps during Sunday Mass at All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas on July 10, 2016.
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Dallas residents add to the memorial for the slain police officers.
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People give hugs to Dallas police officers standing outside the memorial for slain officers in the recent attacks in Dallas.
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Tasha Lomoglio sits alone as she visits the memorial for slain police officers outside Dallas Police Headquarters.
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A memorial for the slain Dallas police officers.
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Community members pay their respects at the memorial for the slain officers in the recent attacks in Dallas.
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Police officer M. Argumedo shares encouraging words with Brielle Delgado, 8, at the memorial for slain police officers in Dallas, Texas.
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Tasha Lomoglio, of Dallas, pays her respects in front of a growing memorial at the Dallas police headquarters.
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DART Police officers pray in front of the Dallas police headquarters on Saturday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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DART Police officers pray in front of the Dallas police headquarters on Saturday. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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A woman weeps at a memorial outside the crime scene where 5 police officers were killed and 7 more wounded, in Dallas, Texas.
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Officers are deployed around Dallas police headquarters because of an unspecified threat.
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Officers secure the scene around Dallas police headquarters because of an unspecified threat.
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Police locked down the area around the Dallas headquarters because of an unspecified threat.
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People wait for lock down to be lifter around Dallas police headquarters after an unspecified threat was made.
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Dallas police officers check out an unspecified threat around the headquarters.
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Mourners grieve in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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The MVPz, a Central Texas, Softball Team, pray in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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Assistant Police Chief, Gary Tittle, gets a hug at the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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Seven-year-old Jacob Flanagan greets Assistant Police Chief, Gary Tittle, with his Mom, Jennifer Cobb, in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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Djuana Franklin is consoled by a passerby as she weeps at the memorial for slain police officers in Dallas. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Investigators walk in a formation on Lamar Street to comb through the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas where a gunman killed five police officers and wounded seven others.
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People pray in front of a growing memorial at the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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Homeland Security Agent, Ron Miller, of San Antonio, works with his bomb sniffing dog, Mattie, along the Earle Cabel Federal Building in downtown Dallas.
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Rachel Simon embraces her daughter Abigail Simon, 13, as they pay their respects to the slain officers at a memorial outside Dallas Police Department.
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Retired Army Sgt. Chandler Davis, pays his respects at the growing memorial in front of the Dallas Police Headquarters.
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Investigators comb through the crime scene for evidence outside El Centro College on Lamar Street in Dallas where a gunman killed five police officers and wounded seven others.
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Flowers, handwritten notes, balloons, candles and other mementos are left on squad cars parked at the Dallas Police Department in a memorial to the slain officers.
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Djuana Franklin weeps for the slain police officers at a memorial at the Dallas police headquarters.
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Flowers, cards, balloons, candles and other mementos form a makeshift memorial at the Dallas Police Department.
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A large American flag flies at half mast framed by the Dallas skyline in the aftermath of the deadly police shooting.
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Roses are placed on a makeshift memorial near the shooting scene.
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From top left counter clockwise, Fermin Betancourt, Damien Betancourt, 10, Destiny Betancourt, 11, and Police Officer Yuridia Morales pay their respects at the memorial for slain Dallas officers.
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Police Officer Katherine Rhodes, right, embraces Officer Yuridia Morales at a memorial for the shooting victims.
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Flowers, notes, balloons and other mementos are left on squad cars outside Dallas Police headquarters in honor of the slain police officers.
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Shelby Garcia, 16, sticks a hand-written note onto the squad cars meant to memorialize the slain Dallas police officers.
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Kenneth Parsons leans on Veronica Jones as they pay their respects at a memorial for the fallen police officers in Dallas.
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Shelby Garcia, 16, writes a note for the slain Dallas police officers.
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Hand-written personal notes are left to honor the fallen police officers in Dallas.
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Dallas residents join in a “United to Heal” prayer vigil at the Cathedral Guadalupe the day after the sniper attack that left five officers dead.
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An officer wipes a tear as fellow officers adjust flowers left on a police cruiser in front of police headquarters in Dallas. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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Daniel Bray embraces Emilie Bedell during an interfaith prayer event in Dallas for the victims of the mass shooting that killed five police officers and wounded seven others.
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Concord Church in Dallas hosts a gathering after the sniper attack on police by Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas.
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DALLAS, TX July 8, 2016 Neftali Davila, of Sallas, prays as her husband Mayte holds their newborn, Mateo, as worshipper attend “A United To Heal Prayer Vigil” at the Cathedral Guadalupe July 8, 2016 following a sniper attack by 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas. that left 5 officers dead. (Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times) (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)
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Stacy Powell, center, prays with others at the Concord Church in Dallas following the police shooting.
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Texas Highway Patrol officers help out in downtown Dallas as investigators look for evidence from the sniper attack on police the night before.
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Eleina Martinez, 5, touches Dallas Police Officer Arnie Pargas’ badge, draped with a black band, at a memorial outside police headquarters.
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Community members pray during an interfaith prayer event for the victims of the mass shooting in Dallas.
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Tani Taylor claps for police officers during an interfaith prayer event for the victims of the mass shooting that killed five officers in Dallas.
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Izzy May sobs during an interfaith prayer service for the victims of the police shooting in Dallas.
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During a news conference Friday, Dallas Police Chief David Brown collects himself while talking about Thursday night’s deadly shooting.
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Noelle Hendrix places flowers near the scene of the shooting in downtown Dallas.
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Investigators document the crime scene outside El Centro College, where a sniper killed five police officers and wounding 7 others in Dallas.
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Investigators examine the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas, where a sniper unleashed a barrage of bullets, killing at least five police officers and wounding seven others during a protest over recent police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana.
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Investigators document the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas, where a sniper shot 12 police officers, killing five of them.
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Dallas police officers stand guard at a roadblock to the crime scene at El Centro College in Dallas.
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Investigators search the crime scene outside El Centro College in Dallas where a sniper unleashed a barrage of bullets, killing five police officers and wounding seven others.
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A Dallas police officer, who did not want to be identified, takes a moment as she guards an intersection after the deadly shooting.
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Dallas police officers gather downtown after the deadly shooting.
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Dallas police officers face protesters on the corner of Ross Avenue and Griffin Street after the shooting.
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Police officers stand guard at a barracade following the sniper shooting in Dallas.
Earlier in the day, people rally in Dallas to protest the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Louisiana and Minnesota, respectively.
(Laura Buckman / AFP / Getty Images)
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Marchers in Dallas.
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A man lies on the ground after yelling, “Don’t shoot me,” at police during the rally.
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Cory Hughes, who had helped organize the Dallas protest last week, expressed a similar sentiment to the crowd: “Though you’re a Black Lives Matter activist, it doesn’t mean you hate white people.”
He was especially upset because his brother, who had joined the protest legally carrying a rifle before turning it over to police, was publicly identified by police as a “person of interest” in the aftermath of the sniper attack.
Hughes said the church gathering was a place he could express emotions that were off-limits elsewhere. “I can’t show any anger or passion because people will misconstrue it,” he said.
Longtime state Sen. Royce West, a black Dallas Democrat, urged the crowd to work with other communities in the city to build coalitions. Some movement leaders encouraged residents to register to vote and to press for improvements to policing.
Others called for more militant, immediate action to confront discrimination and push for major reforms, such as banning the use of grand juries in fatal officer-involved shootings.
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“When black people stand up, we can get victories,” shouted LaShadion Anthony, an activist with the Dallas Action Coalition and the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, named after one of the founders of the Black Panthers.
The crowd applauded, including Hughes. “I’ll go to war with you any day,” Hughes said. “The last I checked, there’s not a voter registration card that will stop a cop from shooting me.”
The Black Lives Matter demonstrations did not halt after the Dallas shootings. Protesters took to the streets in more than a dozen cities. They were arrested as they blocked highways and faced off against police in riot gear.
Mckesson was among more than 100 protesters arrested Saturday in Baton Rouge, La., where 37-year-old Alton Sterling was shot and killed by police earlier in the week outside a convenience store.
On Monday, Mckesson pushed back against some of the criticism his movement has received.
“It is better for New Yorkers and the American people that Giuliani is no longer an elected official,” he said. “He is attempting to distract us from addressing the serious issues of police violence and this country’s legacy of racism against black people.”
Molly Hennessy-Fiske was a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times from 2006 to 2022 in Houston, Los Angeles, Washington and the Middle East as bureau chief.
