In the shadow of a week that’s been rife with contention and bloodshed around the United States, about 150 Black Lives Matters protesters marched down Henderson Street yesterday afternoon.
Three highly publicized shootings this week have sparked similar protests nation-wide.
Since Tuesday there have been two highly publicized instances of police involved shooting of black men and then the slaying of five Dallas police officers at a protest aimed at the two shootings.
There were no signs of anything but peaceful protest in Galesburg yesterday.
Community members sang, high fived and held up signs like “Pray 4 Peace,” “Stop Killing,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Police Lives Matter.”
Marcher Tyson Park IV tells WGIL that the name “Black Lives Matter” implies that all lives matter, including black people.
“If we’re somewhere and we’re raising awareness and raising money for cancer, for you to come to me and say, ‘what about diabetes? Diabetes also matters.’ It’s totally irrelevant. We know diabetes matters but we’re focusing on cancer right now,” Parks says.
Knox County Board member John Hunigan says you don’t have to be anti-police to support their cause.
“It’s not black lives against the police. No, that’s not it, ” Hunigan says. “The police here in our community have done an excellent job and I support them fully, but we also want to bring attention to this matter.”
Participants walked on sidewalks from the Sandburg Mall to Dairy Queen back to the mall along Henderson.
