San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
PROTESTERS DECRY POLICE ABUSE IN ANNUAL MARCH
Group demonstrates on day of national protests against law enforcement brutality
A group of about 75 people gathered, marched and rallied against police brutality Saturday, calling out the names of people who have died at the hands of law enforcement nationally — and here in San Diego.
The peaceful demonstration came on the National Day Against Police Brutality, an annual effort now in its 25th year aimed at bringing attention to people who have died during encounters with law enforcement on the streets, in jails or in their homes.
This is the fourth year that the San Diego Racial Justice Coalition has marked the day with a march, said Buki Domingos, a member of the group. This year across the country in cities large and small, protests against police brutality and racial injustice have filled streets for months.
The protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd on May 25, a Black man who was killed when four Minneapolis police officers arrested him and one kneeled on his neck for eight minutes. The officers are facing charges.
Domingos said that the issue of brutality by law enforcement goes back further than Floyd’s death.
“The fight against police brutality has been going on for decades,” she said. “This is not something that is not new, or trending.” The marchers gathered at the Southeast Division headquarters of the San Diego Police Department on Skyline Drive. Among them was Antonio Carolino, whose brother, Dennis, was shot and killed by two San Diego police officers on Aug. 24, 2019. Police had been called to an El Cerrito home by an aunt, who said Dennis Carolino had thrown a brick at her and that he was mentally ill.
He was shot after police said he rushed at them with a shovel when they approached the shed where he was staying. In July, District Attorney Summer Stephan ruled the shooting was justified and the officers would not face criminal charges.
Carolino said he and his family have been traumatized and he believes the law enforcement system is dishonest. In brief remarks Saturday he told the marchers that there may be some benefit in his brother’s death.
“I lost my brother but God made a way to show us how very corrupt this system is,” he said.
The march then moved west down Skyline Drive about one mile to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park for more speeches. The march was peaceful and punctuated with chants like “No justice, no peace.” Marchers also called out the names of people killed at the hands of law enforcement.
Besides calling out nationally known names like Floyd and Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by Louisville police in March, marchers also included names of San Diego County residents such as Earl Mcneil, who died while in custody of National City police in 2018; Raul Rivera, shot by San Diego police in 2018; and Alfred Olango, who was shot by El Cajon police in 2016.
At the park, Yusef Miller of the Racial Justice Coalition of San Diego urged protesters to continue to protest and pressure authorities, saying it was going to be a “long haul” to effect meaningful change.