https://linebet-bangladesh.com/en/mobile

Red Bank joins American cities speaking out against police brutality

Date:

Share post:

RED BANK – On June 9, Red Bank played host to a peaceful protest that saw hundreds of people make their feelings against racism and police brutality known.

“Say Their Names” was organized by the Calvary Baptist Church, River Street, and the organization Count the Children.

- Advertisement -

The event followed the May 25 arrest of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black resident of Minneapolis, Minn. Video of the arrest shows a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes.

Floyd was handcuffed and was face down in the street during the time Chauvin was astride him. Floyd died during the incident and Chauvin has been charged with second degree murder.

Three other officers who were at the scene of Floyd’s arrest have been charged with aiding and abetting second degree murder.

“Say Their Names” was held on the same day as Floyd’s funeral in his hometown of Houston.

Participants gathered at Marine Park and walked to Count Basie Park. At Count Basie Park, Mayor Pasquale Menna asked those in attendance to kneel in memory of people who died as a result of racism and police brutality.

“In the stillness of that silence, while we were kneeling together, we remember not just one victim, who was so graphically displayed in our own living rooms on television, but we also recall the anonymous, the nameless, the unrecognized victims for 400 years.

“As I do so on behalf of myself and all my colleagues on the Borough Council, all of you should be congratulated for your courage, for your activism, and for your spirit.

“Look around you, look to your right, look to your left, in back of you and in front of you for a second. In the faces around you is the community of Red Bank. We are a diverse community and not only that, but [we are for] what should be diversity in all the communities in [Monmouth] County.

“We hope you take that message home, that message to all communities in trying to accomplish changes, not just at the local level, the county level and the state, but also the nation. 400 years is a long time … but your activism and your spirit is encouraging because I see in the young faces that are with us today, the hope for real change in the people who can accomplish that change,” Menna said.

During the event, participants chanted expressions and statements against racism and in favor of racial equality. They chanted the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and others who have died at the hands of police. At one point the march stopped, people took a knee and held a moment of silence for the lives lost.

The event received support from the Red Bank Police Department, with officers guarding the route and some joining the march.

Police Chief Darren McConnell previously spoke out against Floyd’s death on social media, stating, “We place great value on our relationship with the greater Red Bank community and look forward to continued collaboration with our community to strengthen those bonds and effect positive change.”

The Rev. Kenneth McGhee, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, thanked everyone for attending.

“What is more sacred to every human who inhabits this planet than the gift of birth and life?” McGhee said. “It is a gift to each and every one of us God ever created.

“This gift of birth and life does not come with the requirement of being born to any certain ethnicity, nor does it require you to be born a certain skin color. This gift of birth and life does not discriminate. This gift of birth and life is so precious that parents sneak into their newborn children’s room just to watch them breathe.

“But I’m afraid that in this current society, African-Americans and other minorities have never been seen as individuals, but we are still regarded and referred to as aliens and are deemed expendable as if we do not matter,” he continued. “I stand before you today to tell you black lives matter.”

Referencing a Martin Luther King Jr. quote advocating for people to speak up about things that matter, McGhee said, “If you see something that’s going wrong, open your mouth. This is not the time to be silent. We refuse to keep silent any more. George Floyd has awakened America to the fact that we can no longer keep silent.”

McGee read the names of individuals who died at the hands of police, announcing with the crowd that all of their lives mattered, before stating, “These are just a few names in a long list of our brothers and sisters. It doesn’t matter what color you are, you are my brother, you are my sister. … It must stop.”

Robin McGhee, the pastor’s wife, asked all of the mothers present to raise their hands in solidarity and said, “I fear our sons and daughters won’t come home safely when they leave the house because racism is outside their front door.

“I fear because our sons and daughters wear hoodies when they leave the house and somehow that’s threatening. I fear because some who are supposed to serve and protect have fear themselves, so brown-skinned citizens are treated as hostile and met with pre-conceived notions and guns drawn.

“I fear because while some wearing blue (police uniforms) use excessive force with brown-skinned citizens, their partners turn a blind eye and write false reports instead of doing the right thing and de-escalating the situation and putting a stop to the abuse of the power,” she said.

“I fear because change has not yet come. I fear because our laws are not conducive to fairness and justice for all. I fear because those in positions to make a difference won’t.

“I fear because the blood of our sons and daughters is shed on the streets and their bodies are disrespectfully left there for hours for the world to see. I fear because 45 (President Donald Trump) is hateful and incites racism. I fear because that could have been my son’s last eight minutes and 46 seconds.

“Yet in spite of my fear, I pray for all of us. I pray for citizens of all colors and all nationalities. I pray for the police. I pray for leaders and politicians, and yes, I pray for 45.

“I pray for healing and understanding for each of us and I pray for peace and unity. I pray for decency, humanity and love to prevail and abide in these United States of America and throughout the world,” McGhee said.

Stay Connected

213FansLike
89FollowersFollow

Current Issue

Latest News

Related articles

‘Something’s gotta give’

When it comes to the annual budget, Schools Superintendent Michael Volpe tends to be on the conservative side....

‘A true trailblazer of New Jersey’

The day finally came for Bordentown City to officially rename the Bordentown Post Office in honor of American...

Woolsey Park Bandshell to open in May with inaugural Cultural Festival

When May arrives so too will the long-awaited grand opening of Hopewell Township's Woolsey Park Bandshell. The grand...

Hopewell Borough’s Zoning Board greenlights cannabis retail store

The Hopewell Borough's Zoning Board granted variance approvals for Evolve Sky LLC to continue with plans for a...