LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Hand sanitizer and face masks were common sights at Jefferson Square on Wednesday. Most people doing their best to stay safe but not everyone chose to cover up. 

Organizers say it’s a personal choice but they're doing their best to encourage people to fight for justice while keeping the pandemic front and center in their minds. 

“We just want peace, we just want justice, it doesn’t even have to be this way. That’s all we want, we just want our voices heard, that’s it with a mask on apparently but the people without the masks I’m happy that they are here as well. I wish the coronavirus was not around but we still have to get our point across, nothing is going to stop us from getting our voice heard,” Jasmine Harris said. 

One recommendation that seemed to be disregarded though, was social distancing. Protesters tell me being six feet away from each other makes it impossible to get their message of racial equality across. 

One speaker even went as far as telling protesters to hug someone they didn’t know in the crowd. Protesters say they haven’t forgotten about the pandemic but black men and women losing their lives is something they can’t stand on the sidelines for. 

For an eighth day, many anticipate gearing up once again to protect themselves while fighting for those whose lives were taken too soon. 

“Right now what we are going through in our society, it’s way more important than any pandemic that could go on. I think it’s important to keep practicing safety measures and making sure everyone is masked. They have people here handing out masks and trying to keep people safe and I know we aren’t keeping distance but something this is huge and revolutionary it’s history in the making and definitely needs everyone’s attention especially right now. I think it’s definitely our top priority compared to COVID-19 but it is important to be aware of what’s going on,” Lauren Wunsch said. 

Organizers are expecting protests to continue through the weekend.​