Protests continue: Crowds in Newton, Jamaica Plain decry death of George Floyd while in police custody

NEWTON, Mass. — Demonstrations continued all across Massachusetts on Thursday, after nearly a week of protests to call attention to the death of George Floyd, a black man killed while in police custody in Minneapolis.

The protests happened in Jamaica Plain and in Newton, where hundreds of people gathered and took a knee and held moments of silence for Floyd.

Protests continue: Crowds in Newton, Jamaica Plain decry death of George Floyd while in police custody The protests happened in Jamaica Plain and in Newton, where hundreds of people gathered and took a knee and held moments of silence for Floyd.

In Newton, hundreds of people started at the police station, lined up the entire street, and then marched. It may sound like a normal protest, but what made this extremely special is how it was led.

A simple chant of “Hands up, don’t shoot” ended when 17-year-old Imani Fonfield got up walked in the middle of the street and lied face down with her hands behind her back in honor of Floyd. At that moment, in front of Newton City Hall, hundreds of protesters joined one by one for the die in.

“Imagine what it would be like to be on the ground for eight almost nine minutes,” said Thomas, a Newton resident. “You got to put it in perspective what if it was you?”

After 8:46 seconds dozens of teenagers spoke one by one their own heartfelt plea.

“We don’t need people to know the black vocabulary, we don’t need them to know the latest people who died, we need to know if you were going to put yourself on the line,” said Imani Fonfield of Newton. “We need to know if you’re going to sacrifice something I am tired. I am tired. I am tired.”

The rally after a mile and a half march from the police station

“I’ve had several people tell me of the talk with their black son ‘Hey be careful around the police be careful around the police,’ and I understand it but it still breaks my heart,” said Chief David McDonald. “We would like to believe in Newton that we are a good department but all we can do is continue training and continue getting better.”

Newton PD recently came under fire after Northeastern’s former deputy athletic director Tim Duncan says he was racially profiled and incorrectly stopped with guns drawn by several officers 5 days before George Floyd’s death.

“We have immediately started a review of our use of force standards,” said Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. “This is absolutely a time that all of us need to be on the streets protesting and saying the black lives matter.”

While the mayor and police chief stood with the protesters, it was the message of one 10-year-old boy, Gunnar, and his mom that showed how easy it is to teach right vs. wrong.

“We feel that people are being kind of mean to black people and we want those back people to be supported,” said Gunnar.

But for Fonfield, it will take more than just education.

“We need people to know what the white privilege they have,” Fonfield said. “With the money, the cars, with the opportunity, with the working from home even, people need to be able to give something up. It can’t just be oppressed that are fighting your oppressor. It can’t just be people who survived the fire who are fighting the fire, it needs to be people on the outside willing to help us so we can family proud be black and be beautiful.”

The protests were held on the same day of Floyd’s funeral at North Central University in Minneapolis.

The family and friends of the 46-year-old Floyd demanded justice for their departed loved one.

Floyd’s death, which was recorded on cell phone video by a bystander, has sparked protests against police brutality across the world.

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