Walnut Creek protest: Business owner wants to change street name to Black Lives Matter Way

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- Walnut Creek Mayor Loella Haskew surveyed the damage in front of her home.

"They did damage to our sprinkler system," said Haskew, who also pointed out spilled paint, crushed plants and dents in her garage and front doors.

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Haskew and her husband were not home, warned to leave by police, Wednesday evening before dozens of demonstrators showed up for a loud protest, one that included the burning of a law enforcement flag in Haskew's driveway.

And while the mayor told us she is sympathetic to the larger movement, she's a bit shaken that it came to her front door.

"It's disconcerting," said Haskew. "I think it damages the goal of what they were trying to proclaim. It was very upsetting to my neighbors. It was late at night."

Mostly known for its shopping and restaurants, Walnut Creek has become a hotbed of protest in recent weeks and in some cases looting.

And while things had calmed, some business owners were frustrated they had to put the boards back up for another round Wednesday.

Still, one business owner has written an open letter to the city asking that a permanent Black Lives Matter mural be painted on a stretch of roadway in front of his building, Bonanza Street, and he wants the name changed to Black Lives Matter Way.

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"We'd like to see that we send a good message," said Payam Zamani, owner of One Planet. "The message could be a message of solidarity, that we really care about what's going in the country and the injustices that our black brothers and sisters have faced for so many years."

The mayor says the idea that will be taken up by a newly-formed city council committee on racial equity.

"Black Lives Matter," said Haskew. "We're going to let them figure out what the right thing is to encourage the end result, which is turning Walnut Creek into what we want it to be."