About 50 people gathered Monday in Burlington City Hall’s Contois Auditorium to mark the anniversary of the civil rights leader’s birthday, and to offer reflections about the importance of King’s legacy. Later, about a dozen people moved to a nearby bank to protest that it was open on the holiday.
The marchers briefly gathered in front of the bank, then tried to enter. Patrick Brown, director of the Burlington Multicultural Resource Center, said he would hand leaflets to bank tellers protesting the bank’s MLK hours. The leaflet read: "Dear TD Bank, you are defying the King holiday. Shame, Shame, Shame. This is a racist act. Shame, Shame, Shame."
So, staying open on Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday is an act of racism? I'll tell you what: Start protesting establishments that remain open on the 4th of July because of their "lack of patriotism" and maybe I'll be more inclined to side with your calls for justice.