NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A group of New Haven-area elders, who have not felt safe protesting in large groups during the pandemic, gathered on the New Haven Green Monday afternoon to make sure their voices are heard in response to George Floyd’s murder two weeks ago in Minneapolis.
The crowd was engaged.
"What do we do when we’re under attack? Stand up! Fight back," was one of the rallying cries from the group.
The crowd, of just over 100, said the threat of contracting COVID-19 was not on their minds.
"Being here is minimal risk compared to the suffering that the black and brown community has had to endure, so I’ll come to every rally," said Gini King of Guilford.
Among the protest speakers was a long time New Haven activist, who had unflattering words about Connecticut.
"A deeply racist and segregated state," was how Barbara Fair described Connecticut.
She says it’s America that’s responsible for teaching African-Americans about looting, burning and violence.
"The looting began when they (settlers) stole the land," said Fair. "And then they went to Africa and stole people to build up the land. So, don’t talk to me about looting."
One of the moving parts of this rally: when folks were silent for eight minutes and 46 seconds, in honor of how long George Floyd was under duress.
"When I was laying there, I said imagine somebody’s knee was on somebody’s neck that long," said Fair. "He had to have been dead long before that."
"I appreciate not only the town but the state for giving people an opportunity to really face and voice their concerns," said Cheri Brooks, an African-American mother of two sons, for whom she worries every time one of these incidents happens.
"I see legislators, who are happy and satisfied with the baby steps to justice, but I’m not," said Fair.
Improved legislation on policing practices is a must according to Fair and other attendees.
"I just learned this from the ACLU of Connecticut that, since 2013, over $1 million has been spent by Connecticut police unions lobbying against legislation for police accountability," said Rev. Allie Perry, of the Shalom United Church of Christ in New Haven.
"This is about police brutality, but, in reality, it’s much larger than that," said Mayor Justin Elicker (D-New Haven). "It’s about economic injustice and systemic racism."
Elicker says there must be more equity in how we support schools and provide social services so that in the long run we don’t need as many police.