DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A few dozen demonstrators gathered in Boston Thursday night each taking a knee and a 30 second moment of silence in memory of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody.
“We’re gonna remember George Floyd at this moment, and what he represents,” one man told the crowd assembled before him.
Roughly 200 people gathered in Dorchester’s Ashmont neighborhood to express solidarity for Floyd’s family and the protesters marching in Minneapolis.
“I’m heartbroken every day,” protester Jared Hicks said. “I’m exhausted, I’m tired, I’m angry, I’m frustrated. There has to be change.”
Emmy Rainwalker echoed those sentiments at the demonstration saying, “you know I just kept thinking of Rodney King and thought, how many years ago was that? It’s the same crap.”
Local law enforcement leaders also joined the call for justice Thursday.
“There is nowhere in any of our training manuals where kneeling on someone’s neck is a proper procedure,” Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross said at a press conference.
“If that person was not a member of law enforcement none of us would be questioning whether or not this was an intentional killing,” District Attorney Rachael Rollins said. “Your job should not absolve you from responsibility if you break the law.”
Those gathering in Dorchester said the demonstrations held all over the nation are a good step toward change.
Those gathering today say these demonstrations are a good step for change.
“It’s better now,” resident Rita Schuler said. “Better now because they can’t hide that crap no more.”
Though it may be a step in the right direction, they said they will not stop until they see the officers responsible for Floyd’s death held accountable.
“The solution was to fire those officers,” Hicks said. “That should be baseline. That should be automatic, no one should get applause for that.”
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