Protesters took the streets again on Saturday — for the 14th time in 15 days — to protest against police brutality and demand community control of law enforcement agencies.
About 100 people initially gathered in Pioneer Park in downtown Salt Lake City, where organizer John Sullivan with Insurgence News urged those who know racism is wrong and that inequities exist in society to put their words into actions.
He was adopted by white parents, he said, and saw firsthand how people treated him differently than they treated his parents. Another speaker from the group said it will be calling for boycotts of certain businesses.
Victoria Sethunya’s voice shook as she spoke about the importance of immigrants’ rights. She explained why she wants to defund the police, after sharing a story about her son, who had an opioid addiction, and his interaction with officers.
Community control of law enforcement, according to the Facebook event page, isn’t creating or renaming “ineffective review boards." Instead, it means "direct, democratic control of police departments, policies, budgets, and officers with full subpoena power through a civilian council elected by the people of the community served by the police,” according to the post.
A crowd of about 400 began to march after hearing from the speakers, heading east into downtown, passing City Hall and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
In a change from earlier protests, when Utah had stricter coronavirus restrictions, the marchers also passed bystanders waiting outside businesses or dining outside restaurants. Patrons of Rich’s Burgers-N-Grub and Juniors Tavern on 300 South watched as the crowd chanted, “No justice, no peace.”
The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression had called for a national day of action Saturday. The Salt Lake City demonstration was organized by local groups, Utah Against Police Brutality, Justice for Cody, Salt Lake City Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Hands up and Stand United, Social Freedom and Equality Group and Insurgence News.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/37pTpY4
Post a Comment