Black Lives Matter Activist From Viral Protest Photo Wins Charlotte City Council Seat

A Black Lives Matter activist recently won a seat on the Charlotte City Council.

Democrat Braxton Winston was elected Tuesday to one of four at-large council seats in Charlotte, according to a report from WBTV. Winston received the second-highest number of votes in Charlotte’s elections for at-large seats on the council.

READ: No Charges For Brentley Vinson In Unarmed Police Killing Of Keith Lamont Scott

“We’re excited. We feel like we ran the campaign that we set out to do,” Winston said. “We were very intentional about it from day one. We wanted to go to every part of Charlotte with a clear and consistent message of a more accessible, equitable and interconnected city.”

Winston said his main priority is to make Charlotte a city where people can be more economically mobile, as well as provide more opportunities for the city’s citizens.

“I’m a working person. I work for wages. I don’t make a lot of money, so the system is not set up for me to run for office,” Winston said.

Winston initially rose to prominence following the death of Keith Lamont Scott by police officer Brentley Vinson on September 20 of last year. The 34-year-old attended a protest for Scott’s shooting and took a stand, raising his fist in front of a line of police officers.

“My shirt was off because I tried to make a mask from the tear gas,” he said to WRAL. “I knew that the fist was a symbol.” Following the protest Winston ultimately took up politics and now serves on the city council.

“All of a sudden, now I’m responsible for administrating these systemic inequities,” he said. “Really, I’m ready to get down to work.”

Source: wbtv.com