Black Lives Matter march protests for change and equality
Published 3:30 pm Thursday, July 2, 2020
A group of approximately 70 people march through Railroad Park on Saturday afternoon, June 27, in Victoria, peacefully protesting against police brutality.
A group of approximately 70 people march through Railroad Park on Saturday afternoon, June 27, in Victoria, peacefully protesting against police brutality.
Many participants in the Black Lives Matter event Saturday, June 27, presented handmade signs as they marched in peaceful protest.
Saturday’s Black Lives Matter march at Railroad Park concluded with an eight-minute, 46-second die-in, a demonstration in which people laid down or knelt in a moment of silence, memorializing those who have lost their lives due to police brutality. The specific duration has been previously reported as the length of time a Minneapolis police officer held his knee to the neck of George Floyd, leading to Floyd’s death May 25.
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A Black Lives Matter march organized by three recent Central High School graduates drew approximately 90 people to Railroad Park Saturday, June 27.
The trio of former Central students leading the way included 2016 grad Brandon Scott and 2017 grads Raymond Alexander and Dion Graham. All three now attend Ferrum College.
Scott explained the origins of Saturday’s event, shortly before it began.
“We went to a protest in Blacksburg, Virginia, and we actually enjoyed it, and we thought about the idea of just coming up here,” he said. “We dealt with a lot being here, coming to high school here. We lived here basically our whole life, so we just felt like it was right to have our own organization at the park.”
Events protesting police brutality against African Americans, like this march, have been sparked all over the nation and beyond following the May 25 death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Scott, Alexander and Graham shared the message they hoped people would receive from the march.
“I would say for me, I think the biggest thing is change,” Scott said. “I feel like as young individuals and as African Americans, our voices are heard more now, so I feel like that would be one thing that I would hope (would) come out of this is change and for people to actually hear our voices.”
“The main thing that I think is equality,” Alexander said.
He added that with the community coming together, the message will be delivered and people will powerfully impact the community as one.
