• Home
  • Posts
  • Protesters rally to decry police brutality, talk with police officials

Protesters rally to decry police brutality, talk with police officials

102402253_10223866659360926_9163481020014526464_o

By Foster Steinbeck

Just under 100 protesters, largely high school students and young adults from Greenwich, gathered in front of the local police station on June 1 in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed, black man, at the hands of four white police officers in Minneapolis last week.

The protesters held up signs and shouted chants of “No peace, no justice,” “George Floyd,” and “Black Lives Matter” and talked with police officials as other officers flanked the demonstration.

“We’re not saying that no other lives matter, but black lives, right now, are at stake, and we’re the ones that are being technically hunted down. And I’m really tired of it,” Taylor Richards said, a protester. “I have a nephew, who’s really scared to go outside to play on the playground … because of what’s going on in the world right now.”

The protest, one of many nationwide which have sparked riots in multiple cities, was peaceful and lasted approximately two hours.

“We’re not out here looting we’re not out here, rampaging in the streets,” Another protester, Naquan Massey, said. “This is Greenwich, we’re doing it peacefully. We’re not out here going against the police, we’re not breaking their stuff or anything. We just want to talk.”

Greenwich Chief of Police Jim Heavey and First Selectman Fred Camillo came out just past the front doors of the department building and spoke with the protesters, who raised concerns about overpoliced minorities in Greenwich, the effectiveness of filing complaints to the department and systemic bias at-large in American policing.

In response, Camillo stressed the importance of maintaining and increasing dialogue between the police and the community, citing the county’s Community and Police Partnership program which aims to improve community relations and address its problems.

“We appreciate people coming out and expressing their views and protesting peacefully. I think that’s a good thing. That’s what America is,” Camillo said to the protesters. “And when we see an injustice, like we saw in Minnesota, you should be here, and you should be talking and expressing your views. But that in no way reflects on this police department, which goes above and beyond in community relations.”

Several protesters shouted out that nearby police officers monitoring the demonstration weren’t taking the protesters seriously on multiple occasions, primarily criticizing the lack of input from other officers about the protest.

“No one’s taking anything as a joke,” Camillo said to the protesters, offering to meet with them in his office after the protest to keep the dialogue going.

Although the interaction between the police and protesters were contentious and unruly at times, Camillo said the experience was “overwhelmingly” positive as the demonstration fostered dialogue between the groups.

As the protest died down, a small number of demonstrators remained and camped out in the middle of Greenwich Avenue, continuing to nonviolently chant and display signs. The group again voiced their frustration at the guarding officers’ silence, who formed a ring around the remaining protesters.

Officer Brian Tornga — who voiced sympathy for their cause — offered, then bought, the remaining protesters several boxes of large pizzas, which they ate in the middle of the Avenue. Tornga was unable to be reached for comment.

“Some people will say that it’s just trying to shut us up, but I think that this is kind of a peace offering and hopefully that this is the first step into a better direction,” Richards said. “I commend the officer that got us a pizza. I do not like how the other officers are silent because silence speaks volumes, in my eyes.”

Richards then went to ask a few of the surrounding officers for their opinions on the protest. The questioned officers briefly expressed their desire to keep the peace and ensure safety, but didn’t directly give an opinion on the protest’s goals of racial justice.

“I remember watching videos of Eric Garner … so many years ago, and the fact this is still happening is really upsetting, and I feel like you just have to do your part,” Protester Alexia Towle said. “It’s immoral to stay on the sidelines.”

Another protester, Greenwich High School senior Victoria Fu, said she wants to fight for change now and avoid being nagging the younger generation to make change when she’s older

“I’m from Minneapolis. I moved here four years ago. I just feel like this town is so white, and it’s so privileged and rich, and I think it’s important that we’re talking about important issues here,” Fu said. “This is the time to make a difference.”

Related Posts
Loading...