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JAMESTOWN – Nearly 90 people are gathered at Tracy Plaza at City Hall Sunday evening to call for justice following the George Floyd killing.
The protest started around 6 p.m. with music and lasted late into the night. People marched around City Hall for awhile, and are now parked at the corner of Third and Spring Streets chanting at cars nearby.
Protesters have chanted phrases like “I can’t breathe” and “No justice, no peace.” Many have said they plan to be out all night.
Jamestown Police were set up around the corner of the protesters.
There is a group of citizens, around 10, who are watching from across the streeet. They said they plan to keep business safe through the evening.
Many are yelling “F**k Trump” and “F**k you” to those across the street. Saying “If they are not standing with us, you’re against us.”
During an interview with WNYNewsNow’s Justin Gould, Jamestown residents Izonna Austin and Joshaia Houston said they were out at the protest for worldwide injustice.
“Somebody has to speak up at some point in time. If nobody says anything, nothing with ever change” said Austin.
Austin also said they are there only to be heard and not to argue.
Houston said she is tired of being afraid to talk to police and feeling unequal.
“This has to stop… without the badge, you are the same as us,” said Houston.
F*ck Trump? What does Donald Trump have to do with George Floyd? Additionally, Donald Trump is a Republican President just like the one who freed the slaves. If you want to yell “f*ck _________” put a Democrat representative name in there because they were the ones who SUPPORTED AND FOUGHT IN THE CIVIL WAR TO CONTINUE BLACK SLAVERY. While you have nothing to do out there tonight hop on YouTube and learn about the history of black slavery and racial inequality in America then shout “thank Trump!” “Thank Abraham Lincoln “ and “Thank Republicans”. Tomorrow focus your attention on writing letters to your Democrat Governor to ask why HE’s repressing you. (Most of the cities with higher black populations in poverty are Democrats run.) stay peaceful and stay safe. I hope as much as you that the murderers of George Floyd are brought to justice.
The Indians in this Country got a MUCH worse deal and you don’t see them b*tching. The Seneca nation of Indians have their own Police force too,..maybe it’s time the blacks have their own cops too. Then they can no longer blame the white man on how they are treated by law enforcement.
I’d love to answer your question. Trump’s words and actions have emboldened white supremacists, racists, and xenophobes to act out their hate with murder. He has called the whites with guns showing up at state capitol buildings who don’t believe in the virus/shutdown/having to wear masks “very good people” and the black and brown people protesting “thugs”. We all know what word he really wanted to use.
As to your history lesson, you forget a few key points. Mainly, that there was a huge ideological switch that took place after the Civil War and over the next 100+ years. The parties flip flopped.
The republicans were a new party in Lincoln’s day. Generally speaking, they retained a lot of the older Whig economic views that the government should be involved in the economy. It should promote policies that promote growth, they thought. That meant financing infrastructure, education, protecting native industries, policies that promoted commerce and rapid job growth. They did believe in more federal involvement in all these things, and it cost money. They were the forward looking, innovative party, and also vaguely speaking they were the “big government” party and had policies that promoted big banks, big industry, big business.
The democrats were the more tradition-minded party. They were also the party focused on keeping taxes low and when it came to promoting commerce, etc… wanted to leave it to the states. Generally speaking, they were the “states’ rights” party.
So, this isn’t really about party lines. It’s about systemic injustices that is made worse by our current president, who doesn’t care about the struggles of people of color, or the poor, or anyone ultimately buy himself.