Peaceful protest held in Bentonville
BENTONVILLE — Police Chief Jon Simpson on Sunday night stood with bowed head as he and several hundred peaceful protesters remembered a Minnesota man killed by police last month.
The crowd cheered as Simpson stood on the Benton County Courthouse steps beside Jessica Angelica, one of the organizers. Several people shook Simpson’s hand afterward.
The peaceful gathering had a series of speakers who were cheered during and after their remarks. The speakers gathered in the front of the courthouse across from the downtown square. The crowd also walked as one around the square several times holding signs and chanting loudly.
There have been rallies in Northwest Arkansas, Little Rock and cities across the country since the May 25 death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt with his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes after he was detained. Officer Derek Chauvin later was fired and was arrested on charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence. The three other officers were also fired in connection with the incident. They also have been arrested and charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Angelica said she met with Benton County Judge Barry Moehring, Mayor Stephanie Orman and Simpson leading up to the event.
“It was a community event,” she said. “Our voices are being heard.”
The protests are not the end, she said. She urged people to get involved by contacting their elected officials and voting in November. She believes people can make changes and hold law enforcement accountable in police brutality cases. She said she was proud of the community for its support.
The protest went without incident and with little police presence compared to what transpired at the end of another protest rally on the square last Monday night.
That protest ended after law enforcement dispersed hundreds of people with tear gas. Some protesters threw water bottles, fireworks and eggs at the officers. More than 1,400 people had gathered to peacefully protest police brutality.
Angelica said she talked with officials and wanted to show them that a trouble-free protest could be held.
“I was glad to see a successful and peaceful protest take place this evening,” Moehring said after the rally. “The mayor and I met with the organizers earlier in the day and it went exactly as they planned. I also appreciate the approach taken by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Bentonville Police Department. Everyone worked together for a different and much more positive outcome than we had last Monday night in Bentonville.”
Aaron Clarke, another organizer, said it was important to have people come out and protest peacefully. A do-over was needed after what happened last Monday night, he said.
“We took a step backward Monday, he said.
The rallies are important, but it’s also important to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement, Clarke said.
Organizers will continue to hold protests to call attention to police brutality and to the Black Lives Matter movement, he said.
Before the Sunday night rally, a band played jazz tunes as the crowd ate free pizza and snacks. There was a booth set up to register people to vote, and many people brought cold water to share. Some people met on the square Sunday afternoon for a prayer vigil.
Charli Griffith of Fort Smith said she attended the Sunday night rally to show unity and said it was important to be back on the square after what happened last Monday night.
Griffith said she has attended protests in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Tulsa, Okla.
“We will be heard until there is change,” she said.
Orman and Simpson issued statements concerning the protests over the weekend.
“Like everyone else, our observation of what occurred in Minneapolis has caused us pain, as it has many others,” Simpson said in a statement released Saturday. “We trust that the criminal justice system will properly address what happened there. There is no question that black lives do matter.”
The department respects the right for peaceful protest and recognize it as part of the country’s democracy, but does not condone the use of violence and destruction of property, he said.
Orman released a statement Sunday afternoon. The city will engage in immediate and ongoing efforts to fulfill the promise of equality for all, she said.
“I do support peaceful protests as an important part of our First Amendment rights,” she said. “I also do not condone violence or destruction of property. As our community would expect, our police will have a presence at protests when appropriate to protect the safety of all participants.”