By Misael Gomez, Thunderbolt Editor
Do protesters understand why they’re protesting? Why do they go to the protests? What do they hope to achieve from these protests?
2020 has been an overwhelming year for many, to say the least. In January, Americans feared the beginning of WWIII, mourned the shocking death of Kobe Bryant, and watched Australia recuperate from the massive wildfires experienced just months before. In March, COVID-19 caused a global pandemic, shutting down schools, stores, businesses, and sports arenas to slow and limit its spread. In May, the racist murder of George Floyd by four police officers in Minneapolis, MN broke the country out of their homes to participate in riots, protests, and petitions to combat police brutality. Today, Americans are uniting together to put a long-overdue end to police brutality against minority populations. To find out more about how the Millbrae community is planning on making a difference, I joined Millbrae’s local protest held on Saturday, June 13th, and asked community members how they felt about the situation.
As I walked into the protest, I was surprised by the number of people who decided to join the cause. When asked about the true meaning behind the protest and vigil held at Millbrae City Hall, Larry, a young adult and Millbrae resident responded, “The fact that we’re all here signifies that we all care…. If these protests weren’t popping up, then the movement would slow down.” He continued by highlighting the phrase “Black lives matter” being chanted by community members, understanding that Millbrae residents are practicing what they preach by participating in the demonstration.
After speaking to him, one of the many organizers of the march spoke to the crowd about the idea that “All lives matter if black lives matter,” a common saying that has grown in popularity since the nationwide protests began. Once the march began, I asked rising Mills senior, Victoria Williams, a few questions about the movement. She assured that these protests are more about spreading awareness and showing the citizens of Millbrae that the review and approach the sensitive topic of racism. anything else. She also suggested that “Until it’s known that not all black people are violent, all police officers are going to be [labeled] as murderers as well. If we put black people in groups they don’t want to be in, then we’ll put police officers in groups that they don’t want to be in.” With that being said, she emphasized that there are good police officers who want to serve our country well.
I began moving forward through the group of protesters and found Mills alumni, Jacky Au-yueng (Class of 2019). When asked about the importance of these movements stated, “If we don’t keep doing these things, the killings will be something we just remember in history, and if we don’t keep doing this, we’ll never see change.” Continuing with our conversation, I asked him about the importance of celebrities speaking out and joining the protests In response, he claimed, “They have a bigger platform. In my opinion, a lot more caucasian celebrities need to step up because their voice is going to be heard more… because they hit a different audience than an ethic minority celebrity would.”
Alyssa Rowley, a resident of Millbrae, brought up a very important topic about the generalization of police officers being labeled as murders. “I think people know that for the most part, not all cops are bad, but it’s up to the police force and police unions to identify those few rotten apples quickly and get them out so they don’t taint their reputation.” In other words, most Millbrae residents understand that the majority of police officers are good people, but what local government and police forces need to focus on is getting rid of the “bad officers” who perpetuate further unnecessary violence.
Marching to city hall and hearing the chants of the citizens of Millbrae brought a sense of passion in the air. They were not protesting to look good for an Instagram post or a chance of being shown on the news. They protested because they wanted to do their part in ending police brutality and systematic racism. They protested because those who are unjustly killed by police officers deserve to be remembered. They protested because they know it’s the right thing to do. Never forget, “No justice. No peace.”
