Local News

Anti-Racism March Brings Hundreds To Downtown Sacramento In 10th Straight Day Of Protesting

June 7, 2020 / 6:01 PM PDT / CBS Sacramento

click to expand

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – Black and brown community members gathered in a solidarity march through the streets of Downtown Sacramento on Sunday, marking the tenth straight day of demonstrations in the city following the police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The march began at approximately 4 p.m. as the crowds planned to move from Southside Park to Cesar Chavez Park.

"Everybody's coming together and that's amazing because I'm an old activist from back in the 60s and 70s and things are worse than when I was in college," protester Linda De Los Reyes said.

The #BlackBrownShutItDown event aimed to highlight mutual struggles like systemic racism, police brutality, prison and detention centers, poverty, and lack of access to healthcare and quality education.

NEW APP: Download the new and improved CBS Sacramento News app for iOS and Android

The tenth day of protest turned out peaceful with lots of diversity including Miwok land prayers as people marched through the downtown streets.

"These are black and brown communities, our Lantinx communities of color and so many others coming together to say enough is enough," Keyan Bliss, with the Anti-Police Terror Project Sacramento, said.

This was also the first day of protesting with National Guard troops on different corners of downtown Sacramento.

"Whether the National Guard is here or not, my skin is the same. I still have the same concerns and fears for my children that I've always had," Ngoyi Hellams said.

"It's not about the looting. It's not about the rioting. It's about coming together as a community," Matthew Holdgate said.

Protesters on Sunday said they were encourage by seeing a larger number of people from different backgrounds supporting the fight for change and reform.

Their fight isn't stopping until that change becomes a reality.

"It's going to take more than just lifting a curfew, removing the national guard or banning a single choke before we are here," Bliss said. "We need to see systemic changes now or we're going to continue to be out here."

"Enough is enough. That's it," De Los Reyes said.

Protests have unfolded for nearly two weeks now across the country as crowds responded to Floyd's death.

On Saturday, Sacramento city officials lifted the curfew instituted as a result of rioting and looting that occurred during the first few days of protests in the city.