The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Demonstrators gather to support law enforcement
ONEIDA, N.Y. » Community members gathered in front of the State Police Troop D Headquarters in Oneida along Route 5 on Tuesday to “show support for law enforcement,” said demonstrator Beatrice Mills.
Annette Willson, Mills’ daughter, helped organize the group, according to Mills.
Around 30 people attended the demonstration, many holding signs in support of police officers.
Some signs read, “All lives matter,” and “I proudly support law enforcement.”
Mills said she and others are working to “try and better the feelings between people and the police.”
Additionally, she wanted to raise awareness of law enforcement employees who lose their lives on the job.
“I’m tired of it being onesided,” she said.
Travelers passing by were encouraged to honk their horns to show their support, which several did.
The small demonstration is juxtaposed against national outcry and continued public protest against police brutality and racism in America. Since George Floyd’s death at the hands of police from a knee to his neck on May 25, protests have occurred daily to demand change and justice— and not only within law enforcement.
The “Black Lives Matter” movement has drawn attention to systemic racial biases that operate within several institutions as well as everyday public interactions. As a result, the color of a person’s skin may not only affect how they are treated, but may also put their life at risk.
A black protester at a Black Lives Matter rally in Hamilton stated, “We are here today because we oppose a system that does not protect, respect, or value us. “We can’t breathe.” As anti-racist rallies and police brutality protests continue, elected officials, including the president and the governor, have already begun enacting police reform.