Hundreds of masked protesters silently clutched photos of black Americans killed by police during a “die in” outside the Elizabeth police department Sunday afternoon.
Demonstrators were undeterred by coronavirus bans on gatherings of more than 25 people outdoors, citing the importance of protesting following George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
"You hate racism so much you’re coming out here today risking your life, risking your health, risking the health of your family to ensure that another black person does not get killed in this system in this country,” Zellie Imani, an organizer with Black Lives Matter in Paterson, said in a speech ahead of the march.
Virtually all protesters on Sunday wore masks, and organizers handed out flyers encouraging everyone to keep their distance and wash their hands.
Gov. Phil Murphy has urged all protesters to be cautious while gathering during the coronavirus pandemic. He participated in marches in Hillside and Westfield Sunday afternoon, alongside is wife, Tammy. The Murphys both wore face masks.
In Elizabeth, the protesters laid quietly outside the police department for nearly nine minutes, the same amount of time former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck. While most marchers laid in the street, 30 participants held photographs of people killed by police laid on the sidewalk directly in front of the station.
Only police sirens punctuated the silence.
The framed photographs were left in front of police headquarters alongside battery-powered candles.
Sunday’s march was organized by Kason Little, a 20-year-old Elizabeth native who is currently running for city council. “I’m trying to make a difference, include people in the process, and make sure people’s voices are being heard,” Little said of the protests.
The march was racially diverse and largely made up of young people, with Little’s calls for first time protesters receiving large cheers. A voter registration table had a steady stream of people filling out forms, and organizers encouraged young people to continue their activism after the march ended.
“We’re here for a reason, not a season. This is a movement, not a moment,” Little said.
The 'die in' during the protest Sunday June, 7, 2020 at the Elizabeth Police Department.Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for
The protest began in Jefferson Park around 11:40 a.m. with an hour of speeches, before marching down Jefferson Avenue towards the police station.
Unlike other protests where police organized road closures and marched alongside demonstrators, the Sunday afternoon event was planned without participation and organizers chose not to get a permit, Little told NJ Advance Media, citing racist incidents within the department.
Former Elizabeth Police Director James Cosgrove was forced to resign last April after NJ Advance Media reported he used racial and sexist slurs to refer to black and female employees.
Police reached out to Little several times ahead of the march, but he declined to provide specifics, Little said. Organizers told police the march route shortly before it began.
Deputy Chief Giacomo Sacca confirmed police attempted to work with organizers ahead of the march, and said organizers declined their offer to join the group outside of police headquarters.
A Saturday protest, organized by the Elizabeth Peace & Justice Coalition, did coordinate with police. That event drew roughly 600 attendees, Sacca said.
Alicia Pineda screams out during the event. Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for
Co-organizer Danielle Fienberg read the names of the ten Elizabeth police officers with the highest use of force between 2012-2016, and was met with boos and jeers from the crowd. The department had 1,674 uses of force in Elizabeth during that time period, according to NJ Advance Media’s Force Report.
In the absence of police involvement, a group of volunteers with orange duct tape on their shirts blocked off roads by forming human chains in crosswalks, and protesters obeyed traffic lights. Protesters with red taped crosses on their shirts acted as medics, handing out water and tending to someone who passed out from heat exhaustion.
Intersections with traffic lights were also blocked off by police motorcycles, and police kept the road in front of the police department clear of cars during the event.
There were no arrests on Sunday, and the event remained peaceful, Sacca said.
Over 100 protests have taken place in New Jersey since Floyd’s death nearly two weeks ago. Those protests have been largely peaceful affairs.
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Katie Kausch may be reached at kkausch@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
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