While protests have occurred in all 50 states to demand action regarding the murder of George Floyd as well as protest the systematic racism in the United States, actually attending one of these gatherings isn’t always possible which is why I hope to provide insight into my experiences at a peaceful protest.
It was on Saturday the 6th of June when I attended a peaceful protest held in Englewood, New Jersey. Prior to the protest, fliers were posted throughout the media, as well as the Bergen County area. The fliers clearly stated “masks, gloves, and posters will be provided if in need” however, each individual that I saw, abided by the rules and wore a mask. The protesters were instructed to gather at Mackay Park around 9:30 am and when I arrived, there were about 200 people eager to start marching in addition to about 25 police officers. This protest was organized by the New Jersey Black Caucus for Social Justice (NJBCSJ), and they did a phenomenal job at keeping the crowd calm and patient. The event was extremely well organized and I was able to successfully socially distance myself from others. They even took into consideration disabled individuals and marked off a section for those who wanted to attend but had a physical disadvantage.
As the crowd waited at Mackay Park for more protesters to arrive, the members of the NJBCSJ spoke through a megaphone about the importance of protesting but made it clear that if the protest became violent, it would immediately stop. One of the organizers loudly praised the several police officers who were there and then he proceeded to say “the police officers who are not here today, are the bad guys, they are the cowards”. As I stood waiting to begin marching, I heard a woman thanking an African American police officer, who was on duty, for showing up to the protest. “We support you too” were the words that passionately spilled out of the officer’s mouth. It was at that moment when I realized that this issue is not about black vs white, liberals vs conservatives, all vs police officers, but it was about standing up against racism, oppression, and embracing everyone in your community.
Around 10 am was when the procession began. We chanted and yelled through the streets of Englewood. We waved signs and demanded justice. The march stopped when we reached the Chamber of Commerce where numerous speakers stood before us. We heard from the President of the NJBCSJ, Jerry Chambers, the Vice President of the NJBCSJ, Scott Jenkins, countless students from around the area, the mother of Phillip Pannell an African American who was tragically shot at age 16 in Teaneck NJ, along with many others.
Although George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered in Georgia, and Breonna Taylor was murdered in Kentucky; Phillip Pannell’s brutal murder occurred right in the town of Teaneck, NJ. The killing of Phillip Pannell was the first incident that sparked national outrage. Pannell was just 16 years old when he was shot 8 times in the back by a white police officer, Gary Spath. This all took place in Teaneck, NJ, in 1990. Pannell was unarmed. Phillip Pannell was 100% innocent.
The biggest takeaway from my experience was that racial inequality is real and it exists in every being of the United States. Now is the opportunity to protest and change the society we live in. Despite not being old enough to vote yet, that does not mean you cannot dedicate time to helping others get registered to vote because your vote is your voice. Hold your family and friends accountable. Hold your teachers and colleagues accountable. But most importantly, hold your elected officials accountable. Change is possible, but only if we as a society do something.
Comments