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The second march on the bridge


I have gathered very little info beyond what's in the movie about this event. What strikes me is why the troopers made way.

Why show up at all if you intend to let them pass? Why make a show of letting them by?

Now I know this happened in real life so it's not a dramatic choice. Does anyone know why this occurred? It seems very fishy.

In the movie King suggests they may have planned to cut them off from returning to Selma, but is there any solid account for the reason?

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King and a few key leaders planned to turn around if they weren't stopped/ attacked. They knew the judge had an injunction against the march. They also knew the judge was willing to consider their argument at the upcoming hearing. It would go against their own interests to anger him by violating his injunction.

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The movie was pretty shady about this, playing it like MLK got a message from God when it fact it was him being smart enough to delay it until after the ruling.

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Assistant Attorney General John Doar and Florida Governor LeRoy Collins, representing President Lyndon Johnson, went to Selma to meet with King and others at Richie Jean Jackson's house[42][63] and privately urged King to postpone the march. The SCLC president told them that his conscience demanded that he proceed, and that many movement supporters, especially in SNCC, would go ahead with the march even if he told them it should be called off. Collins suggested to King that he make a symbolic witness at the bridge, then turn around and lead the marchers back to Selma. King told them that he would try to enact the plan provided that Collins could ensure that law enforcement would not attack them. Collins obtained this guarantee from Sheriff Clark and Al Lingo in exchange for a guarantee that King would follow a precise route drawn up by Clark.[64]
Police watch marchers turn around on Tuesday, March 9, 1965.

On the morning of March 9, a day that would become known as "Turnaround Tuesday",[65] Collins handed Dr. King the secretly agreed on route. King led about 2,500 marchers out on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and held a short prayer session before turning them around, thereby obeying the court order preventing them from making the full march, and following the agreement made by Collins, Lingo and Clark. He did not venture across the border into the county, even though the police unexpectedly stood aside to let them enter.[64][66]

wikipedia


Can you fly this plane?
Surely u cant be serious
I am serious,and dont call me Shirley

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