Thread by @mareevs

Morning. I am at St. Pete Mayor Rick @Kriseman’s house, where about 20 protesters are gathered. @TB_Times

A 44yo man named Spencer “Thirteen” Cook is speaking. He says this is the first of many times protesters will come to the mayor’s house.

“This is that snowball that turns into an avalanche,” he says. @TB_Times

“We are occupying his neighborhood the same way our neighborhoods are occupied,” Cook says. “The same way we are uncomfortable, they need to be uncomfortable.” @TB_Times

Cook says only people who are uncomfortable want change, so the group is going to keep making officials uncomfortable.

“The ship is sinking and everyone should be uncomfortable. Some of us have already drown and if it doesn’t stop, we will all drown.” @TB_Times

Another man just spoke about affordable housing. He wonders who is moving into the new luxury apartments popping up around the city.

“Don’t let him get away with telling you he’s a democrat,” the man says of Kriseman. @TB_Times

A woman is speaking now. She roasts Kriseman for not coming outside since the group for hwte two hours ago. “We got here early to make sure he didn’t leave.” @TB_Times

“Our mayor loves to talk about how he’s so progressive,” she says. ... “He certainly seems to forget that there’s an entire south side of people of color that the sun is not shining on.” @TB_Times

She’s turned toward the mayor’s front yard. She says he needs “real solutions” for kids who have nothing to do after school. “You can call me. I’ve got lots of ideas,” she says. @TB_Times

Will Breeze, a regular leader of marches through the city, is speaking now.

“I think you need to come outside and be a mayor. That’s what a leader would do, whether it’s what we wanna here or what we don’t wanna hear.” @TB_Times

Breeze just said he could see Kriseman looking out from his house, but I don’t see him.

He says the south side and north side look like totally different cities. “Come our when you can and let us know what’s going on.” @Kriseman

A man is reading the last words of #ElijahMcClain. “Why are you attacking me?” @TB_Times

Brandi Church, 28, just spoke, mostly yelling toward the mayor’s front door. “You serve the people and the people are here,” she said. ... “Come outside and finish your term. You have been the mayor since 2014. What the fuck have you done.” @TB_Times

Thirteen, the man from earlier, is speaking now, asking the mayor to “be neighborly” and come outside to talk. “Even if we disagree, we can talk,” he says. “I don’t expect you to come out. But I will be back ... and we’re bringing more friends.” @TB_Times

This man is trying to pass. He says this is his neighborhood and the protestors should have a permit if they want to block the street.

The protesters say he can go around. They say their cause is more important than this man’s need to get where he’s going. @TB_Times

The protesters are trying to explain their cause. “If you were protesting life and death, you could block my street all day long,” Brandi told him.

Someone told him to call the police. Someone else called him entitled. He pushed back. @TB_Times

“Whenever I have a problem in my life, I don’t make other people uncomfortable,” the man said. He declined to give his name, saying reporters are the last people he wants to talk to, then drove away. @TB_Times

Will Breeze is talking again now, telling Kriseman to come outside. “It’s not like we’re talking to a 5yo. We’re talking to a grown ass man.” @TB_Times

Another man yelled out his phone number, telling the mayor to call and talk.

Protesters are talking amongst themselves and it whether the mayor is even home. One points out that a black SUV out front had a city license plate. @TB_Times

Another man is speaking, saying Kriseman always deflects blame. “We have condos but the sewer system doesn’t even work.”

“If you were a real leader, you would come out here. But you’re a coward.” @TB_Times

Thirteen just walked up to Kriseman’s front door to ask for a glass of water while others chanted behind him. The mayor did not come outside. @TB_Times

“I ant breathe,” the group chants. They’re going for 8 minutes - the amount of time #GeorgeFloyd had an officer’s knee on his neck. @TB_Times

People are taking turns going up to the door to knock and ring the doorbell as 7-year-old Davis Kennedy leads the chant, “I can’t breathe.” @TB_Times

This man is really screaming. About one minute left of the eight minutes @TB_Times

Davis took the mic again. The woman with her, I think her mom, sat behind her and told her what to say.

Later, though, she spoke up on her own: “There are kids out here too and you still won’t come out,” she said while facing the mayor’s house. @TB_Times

It’s gotten pretty quiet here. @margoasnipe is taking over for me, so follow her for updates. Follow @ByJoshSolomon for the latest on a protest in Gulfport and @kathrynvarn for what’s up in Tampa. @TB_Times