Vote and fill out the 2020 Census, say Belle Isle Freedom marchers – Detroit Free Press

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

A thousand demonstrators marched quietly across the MacArthur Bridgeleading to Belle Isle, protesting the killing of George Floyd and urgently calling participants to civically engage, by votingin the upcoming elections and filling out the 2020 Census.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrenceand other state andlocal representatives spoke before the Belle Isle Freedom March, alongside organizers,and former Detroit Lions player,Joique Bell.

"We have to ensure this is more than a moment," Benson said, and urged the crowd to vote.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, third from the left, leads protesters arm and arm as they march across the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River to and from Belle Isle during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Kelly Jordan, Detroit Free Press)

"Indeed the only thing that has ever changed things and moved things forward was citizens, like you and me and everyone here today, turning out to vote and casting their ballots."

Booths, heldby the Detroit chapter of the NAACP and City of Detroit, carried voter registration forms and a chance to complete the census.

"My life matters, my children's life matters, the people of this community matter." said Lawrenceto the crowd. She called for America to "take its knee off the necks ofblack people."

With his son nearby, Bell spoke to the crowd through tears.

"I'm furious, I'm angry," he said to the crowd. "To have a conversation with my son about what's going on in this country, what we see on T.V. How do I protect my son?"

Former Detroit Lions player, Joique Bell, center leads protesters arm and arm as they march across the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River to and from Belle Isle during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Kelly Jordan, Detroit Free Press)

More:Protests, marches continue across Michigan: Here's a list

More:Ex-Detroit Lions RB Joique Bell to lead freedom march: George Floyd's death 'last straw'

The march began at around 4 p.m. at Gabriel Richard Park, next to the McArthur Bridgeleading to Belle Isle, which was closed off to vehicle traffic forthe protest. Participants were encouraged to stay six feet apart, wear masks and remain silent, although the beat of drums and singing could be heard as the procession walked back, after looping around the clock at the entrance of the park. This march, along with other protests in Michigan,comes at a time when much of the stateis under a loosening stay-home order.

Protesters march on the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River to and from Belle Isle during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Kelly Jordan, Detroit Free Press)

A diverse group of protesters, in age and race,carried signs as they walked over the Detroit River.Demonstrators intended to emulate landmark marches in 1965in Selma across the Edmund Pettus Bridgeto fightfor voting rights for African Americans.

Today's march honoredGeorge Floyd, who was killed last week whenMinneapolis police officerDerek Chauvinpressed his knee into his neck for nearly 9 minutes.

On Wednesday, Minnesota authorities upgraded his chargeto second-degree murder and three officers on the scene will be charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

Protesters march on the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River to and from Belle Isle during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Kelly Jordan, Detroit Free Press)

Protests continue in cities across the country, including Detroit, where they've ended peacefully the last few nights, but tear gas and rubber bullets were used to disperse crowds during the weekend.

Nicole Brown, a 43-year-old lifelong Detroiter, brought her two children to the march, and was joined by her sister.

"I want them to understand what protest is, what's the real meaning of it. It's for peace. It's for equality," she said, noting that this march was her generation's time to protest. She wants to pass that message to her children too.

"We're here because my mom wants us to learn of how it was when they were children and how they had to live the struggle," said 7-year-old Cailey Brown.

"We're here because everybody doesn't get treated the same way and people are getting pulled over for no reason and killed for noreason. And everybody doesn't deserve that, but all cops are not like that. We're all people," added 10-year-old Caden Brown.

Protesters march on the MacArthur Bridge across the Detroit River to and from Belle Isle during a rally in Detroit, Friday, June 5, 2020, protesting police brutality and the death of George Floyd.(Photo: Kelly Jordan, Detroit Free Press)

ChanelleWhite, a 28-year old student at University of Michigan Dearborn and their aunt, said that she came to this protest her first so her niece and nephew don't have to encounter the racism she and family have had to dealt with.

"We're tired of having to worry, when my brother goes out the door, is he going to come home?" she said.

Read or Share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2020/06/06/vote-and-fill-out-2020-census-say-belle-isle-freedom-marchers/3153944001/

Read the original here:

Vote and fill out the 2020 Census, say Belle Isle Freedom marchers - Detroit Free Press