From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — A group of more than 30 demonstrators marched in Trussville on Sunday afternoon to support a growing movement that has shaken the foundation of our nation for two weeks now following the brutal murder of George Floyd.
The peaceful demonstrators marched down the mall in Trussville to protest police brutality, to fight for justice for Floyd and to demand changes within the nation’s policing system. The protest was one of but thousands that have spread throughout the country and the world: Tens of thousands have marched in countries like France, Germany, England, Australia and Canada to support the call to end inequality in America and to help end systematic racism, which has stifled the growth of millions throughout much of this country’s existence.
“We’re here today because it feels right,” Irie Reed said. “We’re trying to shed light and come out as a community.”
Both Reed and Jacob Rushing, 2015 Hewitt-Trussville High School graduates and organizers of the rally, organized the demonstration to spread the word of love and to bring awareness to police brutality.
The demonstrators in Trussville marched around the mall chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “I can’t breathe.”
“We’re here for a good message, and we’re here to be peaceful,” Rushing said.
The movement, which is the largest act of civil unrest in recent memory, is encompassed under Black Lives Matter. The phrase was first uttered by civil rights organizer Alicia Garza, who introduced the wording in a 2013 Facebook post following George Zimmerman’s acquittal of killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. That phrase has now morphed into a movement embraced by a growing number of the population.
And that number has steadily grown over the weeks, with cities experiencing some of the largest crowds this weekend.
The acceptance of the movement follows the death of Floyd, who was killed by former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin; the lynching of Ahmaud Arbery; the killing of Breonna Taylor; the killing of Tony McDade, along with the continued violence against protesters by police, much of which has been captured on video and spread through social media.