The following article and photos were produced by Kareem Simpson, Brian Frey, Patricia A. Scheyer, and Michael Monks for The River City News
Hundreds turned out in Erlanger and Elsmere on Sunday for Northern Kentucky’s largest demonstration yet against police brutality and racial injustice after the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville.
Organized by Elsmere resident and Black Lives Matter member Chris Brown, the event saw powerful chants for justice rise from the crowd as they marched peacefully from Kenton Lands Road in Crestview Hills to the Elsmere Police Department along Dixie Highway, crying out for an end to racism and to declare that Black lives matter.
Supporters and onlookers converged on the streets, sidewalks, and lawns along the route and then gathered and followed marchers to Elsmere Police Station where a peaceful rally was conducted. At one point, fists in the air and signs held high, people turned to one another and loudly pledged to fight for police accountability.
“There are some actionable items that must be accomplished,” said Jerome Bowles, president of the Northern Kentucky branch of the N.A.A.C.P. and who spoke at the afternoon’s rally. “And without us coming together to create a solution and make these things happen, there will be no end.”
The afternoon’s display of unity was just one of many area demonstrations in Greater Cincinnati. Amid the mid-afternoon heat, an unsteady serenity prevailed throughout the march and following rally.
“The N.A.A.C.P,” Bowles went on, “was founded in 1909 addressing civil rights and human rights so it’s not uncommon for us to be here and show support. And I want to particularly thank the Elsmere and Erlanger Police who helped to make this a peaceful event.”
Across the country, the deaths of Floyd and Taylor has unleashed decades of frustration derived from the police abuse of African-Americans. Demonstrations have occurred in every state, with no indication when they might conclude.
In Elsmere and Erlanger, both cities’ police departments patrolled Dixie Highway, controlling traffic on the usually busy stretch of road that was shut down in parts to make way for the protestors.
Some businesses along the route had boarded up their buildings in anticipation of potential violence while others posted words of support of the movement.
“I believe that black lives matter,” said Catrena Bowman-Thomas, executive director of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission. “I really feel like the national attention has really focused on equality for everybody. If we all are a part of this movement, we can push the needle towards equality for all people. I urge those who attended today to get to know somebody who is from a different background. I urge them to make themselves a little uncomfortable and to learn to overcome those fears of racism.”
In a city that’s home to Mary E. Smith Cemetery, one of the area’s first African American cemeteries, Elsmere’s march bore the strength of its past to confront the need for change.
Bowles laid out the specific procedural changes that N.A.A.C.P. plan to take to area police departments to facilitate a change.
“We have to look at policies that are going to challenge our police to protect with justice,” Bowles said. “For instance, we plan to urge our policing forces to revisit Use of Force policies as well as policies to address the definition of reasonable force. We know that 99 percent of police officers do a good job every year, we want them to step forward and address their colleagues who are doing wrong and we are planning to have a sit down conversation with Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs to see how we can move forward together. Black lives matter doesn’t mean that other lives don’t matter. This is a movement that we had here today,” said Bowles. “Not just a moment. We were glad to be asked today to speak.”
Bowles and Bowman-Thomas joined demonstrators there in taking a knee, which has become a universal gesture of protest against racial inequality.
During the rally, just before the group paused in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time that a police officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck. Some marchers told of the reason they attended today’s march.
“I wanted to show my support,” said Susan Silva who passed out bottles of water to the marches along the route. “I feel that minorities have been wronged for so long and I couldn’t just sit back and watch any longer. I just don’t understand how racism can still exist in 2020.”
