Oak Park Protestors Stand with Black Lives Matter
(Dawn Sketch, June 8, 2020)
Oak Park, MI – Hundreds of people of various ethnicities gathered in Oak Park, Michigan on Sunday, June 7, 2020 for the peaceful George Floyd Protest at the corners of 9 Mile Rd and Coolidge Hwy from 1-3pm.
Several speakers spoke on the Northwest corner starting at 1:30 pm. Then a march northward toward 696 took place approximately 2:30 pm. Among the speakers were resident Tyler Beltz, Oak Park Public Safety Director Steve Cooper, Councilperson Regina Weiss, and Jerron Totten – Social Outreach Coordinator and Legislative Advocacy Specialist at LGBT Detroit.
“When I was a little girl growing up my mother taught me when you see a police officer driving by, you wave at him or her to show respect because they’re there to protect us and protect the community,” said Councilperson Weiss. “But I know now, as all of you know, people of color in this country, across this country, have very different conversations with their little children about their interactions with police.
“Make sure your hands are where they can see them.
“Don’t turn your back.
“Don’t run away.
“Don’t’ talk back.
“Get out alive…
“In other homes the police are a source of fear. This is a reality of privilege.”
She shared the work that Oak Park has been doing in their community policing model, including the hiring of two community resource officers, having a school resource officer, hosting Coffee with a Cop events, the Oak Park Citizens Academy, and of course the police Ice Cream Truck.
“There is so much left to be done, but this is a very important step in the right direction,” Weiss said.
This is one of a vast number of protests happening around the world following the death of a black man named George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police on Memorial Day. Protests have been happening in cities large and small. The protest was mild compared to riots that destroyed parts of Minneapolis, Atlanta, New York and other cities around the county and the globe. In Metro Detroit several smaller protests have been up, including in Pontiac, Royal Oak, Ferndale, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Huntington Woods, Clarkston and more.