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‘Y’all are the looters,’ says activist Tamika Mallory
“The reason the buildings are. … burning [is] because the people here in Minnesota are saying to the people of New York, to the people of California, to the people of Memphis, to the people of the whole country, enough is enough. … The U.S. has plundered blacks. The U.S. plundered the Native Americans when they first came here, looting is what they do. We learned it from you. We learned violence from you. If you want us to do better, damn it, you do better. (Excerpts from Gerren Keith Gaynor’s article on Mallory’s speech at a Minneapolis demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd. Tamika Mallory was co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March.)
‘We can’t be quiet,’ say protesters in small, mostly white towns
“You cannot leave here today and be quiet about what has happened to Black and Brown people . . . Time to finally speak up and do something.” “I believe racism’s been here our whole lives, coming from a very small town, it’s just gotta stop.” “I don’t want my grandchildren brought into this,” spoken after tear gas flew. “All lives can’t matter until Black lives matter. You understand that?” (CNN video)
Latinos find common ground with Black Lives Matter El Paso
Demonstrators are in solidarity with the African American community in El Paso, saying they share many of the same problems. Leaders called for an end to police abuse against minorities at El Paso City Hall. Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR) connected the murders of George Floyd in Minnesota and Erik Salas Sanchez in 2015. “Hispanics are dying, too,” said Fernando Garcia, BNHR’s executive director. “This system criminalizes all people of color who are poor. That is why it’s important to connect.” (KXAN.COM)
