Salisbury University holds “Justice for Peace” rally
Rallying for justice and peace for black lives lost at the hands of law enforcement. That’s what students and faculty did Friday evening at Salisbury University. Dr. James King of the English Department at Salisbury tells 47 ABC, “We are taking this opportunity to talk for them.”
Like many others around the country, Dr. King found himself frustrated with the number of instances of news reports of individuals being killed, so he started this rally. Dr. King says the rally only took about a month to get together. After reaching out to administrators, they agreed it was an appropriate thing to do.
Dr. King tells 47 ABC, “I knew then and know now that it shouldn’t just end with anger at law enforcement but it needed to extend to some sort of a solution. We need police, we love our local police, we love our Salisbury police, we need them dearly but what we want is for the way that individuals are trained to be law enforcement officers men and women to more accurately reflect what’s needed in communities today.”
Also standing in solidarity, Dominic Williams. Williams, a senior at Salisbury says, “This is just the beginning this is the start of a revolution.” Williams says some students marched for specific people who were killed carrying signs of their names, the incident, and the aftermath of what happened. Williams tells 47 ABC, “It was somewhat of a visual to commemorate those lives lost, but also show the bright light going forward, to show that there is a bright light ahead of us.”
Renard Lewis the second, a senior at Salisbury represented Tamir Rice, the 12 year old boy shot and killed in a Cleveland park after reaching into his waistband for a replica gun. Lewis tells 47 ABC, “It means a lot, it showed me that a lot of people came out and supported a lot of people, feel the same way that I do, we want change, we want to see in our world not only the community but the world, it has to change, it has to.”
Christian Walker, a senior at Salisbury was representing the life of John Crawford III, shot at an Ohio Walmart after picking up an unpackaged air rifle and carrying it around the store. Walker tells 47 ABC, “It just hurts my heart because were so close in age, that could’ve been me.”
Williams tells 47 ABC, “This was a day that stood for justice for peace, it marked the day in Salisbury history where we took a stance.” And Williams adds this wont be the last rally they’ll hold.
Also during the rally there were speaker readings, including various poems read by students. English Professor Doctor John Nieves helped students select poems to read, including “Consolation” by Jake Adam York and “The Wrong Street” by Cornelius Eady.
