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D.C. marchers take to streets to raise voices in protests over police slayings D.C. marchers take to streets to raise voices in protest over police killings
(35 minutes later)
Once again, they marched. Starting beside the Chinatown arch and marching along 14th Street to U Street, past New Year’s Eve festivities and cabbies waiting to pick up fares. Once again, they marched. Starting at the Chinatown arch and moving along 14th Street to U Street, past New Year’s Eve festivities and cabbies waiting to pick up fares.
For one last time in 2015, members of the Black Lives Matter DMV movement, founded to bring attention to allegations of police misconduct, took to the streets of the District on Thursday night to raise their voices in protest.For one last time in 2015, members of the Black Lives Matter DMV movement, founded to bring attention to allegations of police misconduct, took to the streets of the District on Thursday night to raise their voices in protest.
In an all-too-familiar scene, about 200 demonstrators streamed through the nation’s capitol carrying signs, chanting slogans and not wanting 2016 to dawn without once more calling out the roll call of names that have become sadly familiar touchstones of the debate over police accountability: Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. Michael Brown. And so many others. In an all-too-familiar scene, about 200 demonstrators streamed through the nation’s capital carrying signs, chanting slogans and not wanting 2016 to dawn without once more calling out the names that have become sadly familiar touchstones of the debate over police accountability: Tamir Rice. Sandra Bland. Michael Brown. And many others.
“I hope the mayor is somewhere partying,” April Scoggins, 36, an organizer of Thursday’s march said, referring to Mayor Muriel Bowser. “And I hope she knows that in 2016, I’m not going to let her sleep and party.” “I hope the mayor is somewhere partying,” said April Scoggins, 36, an organizer of Thursday’s march, referring to D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D). “And I hope she knows that in 2016, I’m not going to let her sleep and party.”
For marchers, the names of those who have died during encounters with the police have a grim national resonance. Tamir Rice, 12, was shot in November 2014 by a pair of Cleveland officers who mistook his toy gun for the real thing. At about 8:45 p.m., protesters who spanned two blocks marched in the middle of 14th. Rolling closures of cross streets created traffic snarls as peaceful demonstrators stopped there.
Sandra Bland was found hanged in a Texas jail cell in July, amid what critics of the police handling of her case said were suspicious circumstances. For marchers, the names of those who have died during encounters with police have a grim national resonance. Tamir, 12, was shot in November 2014 by Cleveland police who mistook a toy gun for the real thing.
And there was Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. in August 2014 -- an incident that many believe brought the question of police misconduct into the forefront of the national conversation. Bland was found hanged in a Texas jail cell in July, amid what critics of the police handling of her case said were suspicious circumstances.
Thursday’s demonstration also remembered its share of local figures, including Alonzo Smith, 27, who died in November while in the custody of armed security guards at a Southwest Washington apartment building. And there was Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Mo. in August 2014 — an incident that many think brought the issue of police misconduct into the forefront of the national conversation.
“My son was beaten to death,” said Beverly Smith, 52, Alonzo Smith’s mother. “My son was heard walking through a parking lot in Southeast D.C. saying, ‘Help, help, they’re trying to kill me.” Thursday’s demonstration also recognized local figures, including Alonzo Smith, 27, who died in November while in the custody of armed security guards at a Southwest Washington apartment building.
She noted that her son’s 28th birthday would have been Jan. 2 and that between that date and the holidays “this had been a very trying time for me.” “My son was beaten to death” in November, said Beverly Smith, 52, Alonzo Smith’s mother. “My son was heard walking through a parking lot in Southeast D.C. saying, ‘Help! Help! They’re trying to kill me!’ ”
The D.C. medical examiner’s office has ruled the death a homicide. Smith was found unconscious and handcuffed in the custody of the guards.
She noted that her son’s 28th birthday would have been Saturday, and that with the birthday and the holidays, “this had been a very trying time for me.”
“But I am very happy to be out here on this New Year’s Eve to bring a strong impact to 2016,” she said. “We will no longer stand for police officers and special police officers murdering our black people.”“But I am very happy to be out here on this New Year’s Eve to bring a strong impact to 2016,” she said. “We will no longer stand for police officers and special police officers murdering our black people.”
That message was crucial for other marchers.That message was crucial for other marchers.
“We’re disrupting the status quo,” said Caroline Tyson, 20, a sophomore at Howard University. “People are just kind of going on with life as usual when we’re dying. Our daily lives are not continuing as normal anymore.”“We’re disrupting the status quo,” said Caroline Tyson, 20, a sophomore at Howard University. “People are just kind of going on with life as usual when we’re dying. Our daily lives are not continuing as normal anymore.”
All around the protesters, though, the New Year’s Eve rhythms of the District continued. Revelers standing in line outside night clubs. Couples exiting cabs dressed in their finest. And diners packed into bistros - a few stopped to watch the protesters. All around the protesters, though, the New Year’s Eve rhythms of the District continued. Revelers stood in line outside nightclubs, finely dressed couples exited cabs and diners packed into restaurants. A few stopped to watch the protesters.
“I look at the people in the restaurants,” said one of the marchers, Daniel Shore, a 35-year-old English professor at Georgetown University, as he walked along 14th Street past patrons ringing in the New Year. “They should be out here with us.” “I look at the people in the restaurants,” said one of the marchers, Daniel Shore, a 35-year-old English professor at Georgetown University, as he walked along 14th. “They should be out here with us.”