After weeks of media coverage about rioters and looters who hijacked protests following George Floyd’s death, Washington D.C. held its breath as Juneteenth marches wound up their springs on Friday.

More than a dozen demonstrations had more than a dozen messages— “Defund the Police” and “Defend Black Women” were two—but the violent subculture seemed to stay home, and seemed to know this wasn’t their moment.

Some women held simple signs, each with the name of a black woman or girl killed by law enforcement.

The signs were simple, just the names in black letters, floating on a white background.

Standing at Freedom Plaza, just a few blocks from the White House, you could see all the competing marches converge.