On Friday, May 29, a group of about 20 people gathered on the corner of Texas Avenue and George Bush Drive to protest the killing of George Floyd. The group reconvened less than 24 hours later for another round of protests, this time with more than double the amount of protesters as the initial gathering.
The second day of protests began at 12 p.m. on May 30, with a group of about several dozen people. The group was joined by a group of activists known as the New Black Panther Nation and also Justice of the Peace Celina Vasquez of Precinct 4 in Brazos County. The group peacefully protested and was received well by most of the cars passing by, with honking horns and fists raised out of car windows in support.
An organizer of the initial protest, business senior Robin Ealy, said she was surprised to see the number of people that showed up to the protest only an hour after it began at noon.
“I think it just brings so much hope to this community and it shows that this community is willing to stand up and fight together and willing to make our voices heard, so I’m very hopeful,” Ealy said.
Vasquez said this situation is not just a problem in Minnesota, but an event that should be recognized in all communities in order to avoid any events like the killing of Floyd.
“I think this is important for a world class community like Bryan-College Station to acknowledge these injustices, these inequities the criminal justice system is housing,” Vasquez said. “I think people have a lot of pent up emotion and this is a great way to express it.”
In addition, Vasquez said that this was a very momentous occasion for her to witness, and she supports the organizers of the protest.
“We’re here expressing our emotion and again we’re grieving,” Vasquez said. “The way that you do that is you do it through peaceful protests pushing for social justice. I 100 percent support the efforts of the young dems of the YDSA and all of the groups that came together to organize this. This was a moment that I could not miss.”
Shequita Graves, an attendee of the protest said she enjoyed being at the protest for the support that other attendees showed toward this cause, regardless of race.
“It’s beautiful. People of all walks of life are out here,” Graves said. “It’s not just about black people even though we’re concerned about the black people that are being killed. It’s about everyone standing up for everything.”
Another protester, Aukesheia Tyler said she wanted to come to the protests to advocate for a change in communities and to endorse peace among people.
“I am excited about it,” Tyler said. “I know that change is going to come. Unity and love and peace. We all stand together. Black, white it doesn’t matter. We will make change. There has to be change.”
A prayer and demonstration will be held Sunday, May 31 at the corner of 29th Street and Texas Avenue in Bryan from 5 to 8 p.m. hosted by Black Lives Matter B-CS.