‘We have the right to fight for what’s right’
Hammond protest against police violence joins others across US
Chants of “No justice, no peace” rang out Saturday as protesters gathered outside the Hammond Police Department to demand justice for George Floyd and other people of color killed at the hands of police.
Several hundred people attended the rally organized by Black Lives Matter-Gary. The crowd, while predominantly African American, was diverse with white, Latino and Native American participants.
Some carried signs bearing the names of some of those killed by police, including Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Melvin Bouler and George Floyd. Floyd’s death on Monday, by a Minneapolis officer as he pleaded for his life, has sparked nationwide protests, including clashes with police Friday night in Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.
Others carried signs reading “I Can’t Breathe,” “Take A Knee,” and “Serve and Protect, Not Knee to the Neck.”
Lorrell Kilpatrick, Black Lives Matter-Gary representative, led the program and called on attendees to be vigilant and to make their voices heard not only at the rally but at the voting booth on Election Day.
She said the fix will not be an easy one and people should continue to push for change.
“At some point we have to start looking at the system,” Kilpatrick said. She said people have to start looking at the root cause of the problem of police violence against people of color and demand change.
“We’ve got to fight back. Our lives depend on it,” she said.
While the event was peaceful, the time afterward was not.
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said the sheriff’s department and Indiana State Police were on hand to assist Hammond Police, if needed.
However, he said, some of the participants who were not part of the group organizing the event, did not disperse and put calls out on social media for others to join, which they did.
At some point it became apparent their goal was to walk onto Interstate 80/94 to obstruct traffic and the crowd began throwing rocks and bottles, he said. At about 2:30 p.m. Martinez said police had to prevent protesters from entering the highway.
“We had to take a stand. That was our first engagement with protesters,” Martinez said.
Tear gas canisters and paint balls were used to attempt to turn back the crowd. They were prevented from entering the highway but some were still gathered late afternoon attempting to obstruct traffic, he said.
Martinez said police are not trying to impede free speech and are allowing the protesters to remain, but will not allow them to access the highway. No arrests had been made by late afternoon.
Floyd’s death drove brother and sister Bertha Andrade, 22, and Manuel Rivera, 30, both of Hammond, to protest for the first time in their lives.
“We were really upset about what happened,” Rivera said.
“We want justice for him (George Floyd),” Andrade said. Seeing the video of Floyd’s arrest was heartbreaking.
“I was devastated. There was no need for that,” she said.
Rivera said it is important for people to come together and speak out against this type of violence.
Cousins Clyde Stout, 21, of Hammond, and Chyanne Marrero, 21, also of Hammond, wanted their voices heard as well.
“I’m tired of it,” Marrero said.
Seeing video like that of Floyd’s encounter with police is hard to take, she said.
“It almost dehumanizes you as a black person,” she said.
While it can be difficult for black women interacting with police, it is worse for men, Marrero said. She worries about her brother, who at 23 has had a negative interaction with police. She often can’t sleep until she knows he is home at night.
Stout said the system is broken and does not value the lives of black people.
“We must unite together and organize in order to demonstrate the many injustices,” he said.
Pam Putzell, 70, of Schererville, also questioned when change would occur. She said she has protested injustice all her life. Fifty years ago she was protesting for women’s right to abortion and civil rights and today nothing has changed.
“We keep fighting over and over and over again,” Putzell said. “We don’t march for those who have died, we march for those who live after us.”
The group gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Hammond Police Department and spilled over into the street. Passersby honked their horns until police eventually closed the street to traffic as the crowd grew.
Hammond Police were visible but removed from the crowd. A couple squad cars were at each end of Douglas Street with officers in their regular uniforms. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department helicopter circled the site multiple times. A handful of police observed from the roof of the police department building. Police did not interact with protesters.
Protesters were peaceful, yet angry. Prior to police closing the section of Douglas Street, one man attempted to stop traffic from passing, first by standing in the street and then by driving his vehicle to the spot and attempting to stop there.
His efforts were rebuked by organizers and members of the crowd.
Members of Hue Hue Coyotl, a Native American arts group, provided a drum rhythm. Ana Patino said she belongs to a group of local Aztec dancers who wanted to show their support.
“We stand in solidarity with our brothers,” Patino said. She said indigenous people and Latinos have long been abused by police and the institutions of this country.
“We just wasn’t to stand fast and offer our support to our black brothers,” she said.
BLM member Akile Shakur, of Gary, led chants for the group. Her daughters Shakira and Jasmine Bilal, 12 and 15 respectively, of Terre Haute, were among those gathered. It was their first time attending a protest.
The girls said they joined their mother today to fight for justice.
“We have the right to fight for what’s right,” Jasmine said.