On what would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday, a group of Black Lives Matter supporters gathered in front of the Monongalia County Courthouse for the fourth day in a row, to advocate for changes to America’s justice system.
Taylor was killed March 13, after Louisville, Ky., police crashed into her apartment with a battering ram, to execute a search warrant.
Reports show she was shot at least eight times.
Friday’s protestors in Morgantown blocked High Street at the intersection with Walnut while chanting and sharing their own stories.
They moved to block the road about 4 p.m. and kept it blocked until at least 5:45 p.m.
At one point a Ford F-150 with three people in it pulled up to the line — and it seemed as though it would drive through the demonstrators, as has happened in other places across the country.
Some even encouraged that kind of violence, such as an older white man who mumbled something about running them over, as he crossed High Street to go to the bank.
However, after a few minutes of shouting the driver of the truck backed up and no was injured.
At no point did protestors act aggressively toward any critics.
Sharing has been a constant at these events and Friday was no different. While previous days saw a lot of stories about the black experience, on Friday there was discussion about what goals the movement have and how to best achieve them.
One thing the participants made abundantly clear: The time for change is now.
“We are at a turning point,” Elvis Tenyi-Arrey, 33, said. “Every empire falls and I’m afraid if we keep going the way we are, America will be the next empire to fall. The politicians would rather see it fall than do something for the little person.”
Look at how there is never money for universal healthcare but there is for endless war, he said.
One clear goal of the movement is police reform.
Cops should be held to the same level of accountability that doctors are, Hawa Diawara, 18, said.
There have been thousands of innocent black men, women and even children killed by police brutality and there is no stopping until there is justice for everybody, said Kylie Williamson.
Another gathering will be held at 3 p.m. June 6 on the Mountainlair Plaza. It is organized by Solidarity for Equality and Compassion.
