Thousands Flood Downtown Newark For Peaceful Protests

NEWARK, NJ — Thousands of protesters filled Market Street on Saturday to protest police brutality. Signs listing the names of black men and women who died at the hands of police lined posters and T-shirts. George Floyd's name was shouted alongside the chant "I can't breathe."

Floyd is the Minneapolis man who died after police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while arresting him. A video of the incident has gone viral and sparked protests and in some cities, riots, across the country.

Protesters in Newark were determined to maintain a peaceful showing as the city looks to continue to progress past a painful history marked by the riots of 1967. To show solidarity with the city, Mayor Ras Baraka hit the streets alongside protesters, holding signs that read "Justice for George Floyd."

The protest lasted well over four hours, with speakers perched on the steps of the historic courthouse. College students, mothers, teens and activists took turns passing around bull horns and microphones. The speakers shared pain and hope through poems and speeches.

The People's Organization for Progress, the group that organized the protest, and leader Larry Hamm urged the community to use their voice to bring about change in Newark. Advocating for a citizens review board in Newark, Hamm said the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 12 has repeatedly blocked the move in the courts.

"If you really want accountability, we need you to call the state Supreme Court on Monday," Hamm said, "Every village in this state and in this country should have a civilian oversight board for the police."

Hamm noted that systemic change and the fight for equality would be a long one, in Newark and across the country. "It took 50 years of protesting to try to get a review board," Hamm said, noting the city's history of protesting police brutality. "But if those of us here could unite into a movement, we would be the most powerful movement in the state of New Jersey," Hamm exclaimed to a cheerful crowd.

Saturday's Newark protest marked the first protest related to the George Floyd killing in New Jersey. More protests are planned for the upcoming week.

The protest drew people from all over — activists, families, passersby who decided to join. Some were angry and many were pained by the continued struggle of black Americans, but they all shared the same sentiment, that the protest must remain peaceful to be effective.

Audrey Sykes and her daughter Layla burned sage as they walked down Market Street. As Layla drew circles in the clouds of sage smoke, Sykes said she was clearing the energy in the street to make way for positivity. Sykes said the climate in Newark is distinct from other cities in the country and doesn't make room for riots.

"People are upset and people are mad but they want to protect the businesses in the community and the work the mayor has been doing," Sykes said "We've come a very long way since the riots in '67 and we don't want to go back to that."

Sykes highlighted the consent decree signed in 2014 with the United States Justice Department and the city's steps toward police accountability.

Muslima Boon came to the protest with her teen daughter from Bloomfield because she is tired of the injustice, she said.

"We shouldn't still be in the year 2020 having the same problems," Boon said, recounting the stories and struggles her mother and grandmother told her. A first-time protester, Boon said after she saw the video of Floyd's death, she cried.

"I cried for my sons, I cried for my brother, I cried for my uncles — I'm tired of crying. I want change," Boon said.

Boon was one of many black parents in the crowd who feared for their children's future and wanted to have a hand in changing it. Sean, the father of an 11-year-old girl, said he tries to explain the social climate to her through his own experiences and by educating himself as much as possible.

Sean said while he hasn't been beaten by police the way Floyd was, he has been harassed and arrested by Newark police. Even so, Sean said he believes there are good cops who need to step up.

"At some point the good outweighs the bad and, it sucks but those good cops have to hold their colleagues accountable," Sean said.

A robust showing of teen activists filled the crowd as well, including 18-year-old Sabree Cool. Finishing out her senior year of high school, Cool said it was important to her that she start this next chapter of her life by helping spread awareness to racial injustice.

"It is unfair that we even have to protest for our lives and our safety," Cool said, "My generation shouldn't have to go through this and neither should the next generation."

While protesters walked past police cars and motorcycles, many chanted "No justice, no peace." Others blasted NWA from car speakers and stereos but all kept their distance, marching in solidarity.