‘Shutting up is part of the problem’

Masks were required at polling places for the vote on the South Burlington School District’s amended budget, but officials were probably not expecting masks like the full-faced version Adam Brabant wore.

And the prominent “yes” and “no” signs weren’t the only statements being made. One display saying “All cops are racist” at Thursday’s vote came before a weekend of protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

Brabant said his sign was a protest against structural racism that is inherent in the justice system.

“Every cop, prosecutor, judge, everyone involved in the system from start to finish is racist because they help to continue to perpetuate systemic racism,” Brabant said. “I have five roommates. All of them are South Sudanese immigrants. I can’t keep my mouth shut. Shutting up is part of the problem.”