BOSTON — More than one hundred protesters marched to the State House Wednesday to show support for Black lives.
The group began at the Boston Common, where dozens of people shared personal stories of racism in Massachusetts.
“My sister and my son are survivors of police brutality in Boston,” said Denise Carnes who spoke at the rally.
She told the crowd about a case of when she believes police used excessive force on her son, forcing him into the hospital for three days.
Carnes also sees police surround her neighbors for simply gathering at a cookout at her apartment complex in East Boston.
“I give great big cookouts, I do fish fries and things like that and so everybody’s like what’s going on?” said Carnes about the police presence in her neighborhood. “They got guns drawn on my friends backing them up for no reason.”
After sharing stories of the black perspective and police brutality, the crowd brought their concerns to the State House with a march, hoping for not only changes in the police department.
“We need to talk about the education system and how we defund schools in public areas here, we need to talk about healthcare and how COVID has affected more of the minorities and people of color during this epidemic ‚” said Jacob Urena, one of the rally’s organizers.
Urena says racism is a systemic problem that needs attention in every aspect of society, and he says simply listening to the black community and showing support like this rally is a good start.
“It really does mean a lot because we can’t do this by ourselves,” said Carnes.
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