Day 17 of protests starts with kids walk in downtown Phoenix
Jun 13, 2020, 4:19 PM | Updated: 8:46 pm
Photo courtesy of UrbanMommy.org.
PHOENIX — The 17th consecutive day of protests in the downtown Phoenix area began early Saturday.
Around 10 a.m. on Saturday, a kids protest started by the police museum on Jefferson Street.
Children gave speeches for the crowd before the one-mile walk began.
People have protested nationally and locally for more than two weeks in the wake of deaths of African Americans who were in police custody including Dion Johnson in Arizona and George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The group walked west to 4th Avenue, turned north to Monroe Street, and then took 1st Avenue back down to Jefferson Street to complete the square.
The event ended around 11:30 a.m., said UrbanMommy.org founder Monique Joseph. Her organization partnered with two families who wanted to put together these protests.
Joseph said that when she talked about Floyd’s death with her 6-year-old daughter, the girl connected with Floyd’s own 6-year-old daughter.
“We showed her a picture of Mr. Floyd’s daughter, who is the same age, and she said, ‘Mommy, I feel like I want to hug her,'” Joseph said.
As children begin to understand how protests can bring change, they want to get more active, Joseph said.
“Marches and protests have always been lead by the youth, and the youth have always been on the front lines fighting for justice and equality,” she said. “It’s not surprising they’re taking up the banner again.”
7:00 p.m.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gabriel Gamino said protesters are starting to disperse from the state capitol.
It’s 7 p.m. and the Unity March is officially over. Protesters have started to disperse. Organizers called for people here to vote saying that’s the only way they’ll be able to create a difference in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/w4Dq4v7oiG
— Gabriel Gamiño (@gaminogabriel) June 14, 2020
6:30 p.m.
Protestors have reached Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza at the Arizona State Capitol after starting to march from Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix around 5 p.m.
Protesters have made it to the Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. Here they are listing their demands:
– Civilian review boards & offices of accountability and transparency in all AZ cities.
-To defund and divert funds from police towards mental health, social services pic.twitter.com/YVpC9h1B9u— Gabriel Gamiño (@gaminogabriel) June 14, 2020
5:45 p.m.
Protesters are moving toward the state’s capitol building, just under two miles away from the start location.
“No justice. No peace.”
“No racist. Police”
“Black Lives Matter”
Are some of the chants being heard today. @PhoenixPolice is escorting protesters to ensure their safety as they march. pic.twitter.com/mPkSaZ81xJ
— Gabriel Gamiño (@gaminogabriel) June 14, 2020
5:30 p.m.
Protestors have begun to gather at Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix.
200+ people are now gathered at Civic Space Park in downtown PHX for today’s demonstration. Kenneth Smith, an organizer of today’s protest, tells me they’ll be marching to the state’s capitol to demand Gov. @dougducey take action against police brutality + racial inequality. pic.twitter.com/AYsl5QcbqC
— Gabriel Gamiño (@gaminogabriel) June 14, 2020
