Silent protesters demand justice reform in Rochdale

Demonstrators raise their fist during a silent protest in Rochdale June 20. Photo courtesy of 1WorldFestGlobal

By David Brand

Dozens of demonstrators marched silently through Rochdale on June 20 to demand justice reforms and the end of racist police violence against Black and African American New Yorkers.  

The silent march, organized by the organization 1WorldFestGlobal, began in the parking lot of the Rochdale Village Mall, following speeches by Councilmember Adrienne Adams, NYPD Sergeant James Clark and 1WorldFestGlobal CEO Kamell Ellis.

“It is essential that we continue to demand change in our criminal justice system,” Ellis said “It has clearly targeted and mistreated minority communities, especially African American ones, for far too long.”

Emerald Garner, the daughter of Eric Garner, led the crowd in chanting “I can’t breathe” 11 times before the march kicked off. Eric Garner died as a result of an illegal chokehold administered by a Staten Island cop in 2014. Garner’s death and final words, “I can’t breathe,” galvanized the Black Lives Matter movement.