Opposite the Oscar Grant III Way, a sea of ​​candles illuminated the Fruit Veil BART Station on Friday night.

Families across the Bay Area placed these candles in front of the Oscar Grant mural to commemorate the National Foundation Day for police atrocities. Every October 22nd, family members and community members across the country remember and pay tribute to those killed by police officers.

The event was launched in 1996 by a coalition on 22 October to prevent police atrocities, oppression and generational criminalization. The goal was for organizations across the country to discuss solutions to the national epidemic of police atrocities and recognize the amount of lives lost.

In Auckland, the event was hosted by Sephas “Uncle Bobby X” Johnson, a non-blood of love campaign. Police killing Guide the movement away from such violence.Johnson is another uncle Oscar Grant killed by BART police on January 1, 2009. Johnson wanted to name and commemorate the lives of those killed by the police after Grant’s death.

In California alone, more than 900 people have been killed by police in the last six years. Analysis by The Washington Post..

“We wanted to brighten the universe,” Johnson said.

The event began with a liquor ritual of throwing water on the ground to commemorate relatives. This was followed by prayers from a group representing the indigenous Mexica people. The group led the crowd to the north, south, east, and west, admitting the lost lives and blowing snail shells to remember the happy moments they brought to their families.

“Don’t lose these memories, because when we forget them, it’s time to actually die,” said Alex Garcia, a member of the Mexica group. “We can see sadness, but we can also see happiness, and we also know the purpose of why we are here.”

The purpose Garcia mentioned is a community that Johnson appreciates and supports each other.

“It was the community that really stood with us, accepted us, loved us, wept with us, and went back and forth to court with us, but most importantly. That said, “I’m an Oscar Grant,” Johnson said.

The event ended with reading the names of 2,000 people killed by police in California. Eric Sargado and Kenneth Ross Jr., Those who have been murdered in the last year. The family placed a candle in front of a photo of their loved one each time their name was called.

Tatiana Grant, who was four years old when her father was killed, thanked her and her father for their community support.

“I feel like I couldn’t get over it if I did it myself,” she said. “And with everyone joining as a community, we’ve reached somewhere.” 

According to Johnson, the event was also for future generations. 

“This is to save the baby so that he has real freedom, justice and equality,” he said.

Remembering the many killed, during National Day Against Police Brutality Source link Remembering the many killed, during National Day Against Police Brutality