A group of activists and demonstrators gathered in Jackson Heights Tuesday to call for an end to police brutality against Black and brown people, while also encouraging the community to get out and vote on what is likely to be one of the more unusual and complicated primary days in recent history.
Organized by the group Justice for George Queens, the demonstration of about 40 people gathered in Diversity Plaza around 11 a.m., on Tuesday, June 23.
Aided by The Blue Angels Drumline, a band composed of young Christian Black men, demonstrators gave speeches about the history of voting and the plight of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
The #BlueAngelsDrumline are performing in #JacksonHeights to help encourage the #community to #vote and reminding them of their #votingrights #justiceforgeorgequeens #primary pic.twitter.com/ZrSHpfA8W5
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 23, 2020
The demonstration began with a reading of names of people who have died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) border camps. Protesters took a knee as the names were read out loud.
#Protest organizers #JusticeforGeorgeQueens are encouraging the #Queens community to #vote at today’s #primary with speeches, music, poetry & a march for systemic change to end #policebrutality against black & brown lives, & honoring the lives of those who’ve died in #ICE camps. pic.twitter.com/mryi0LvUGq
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 23, 2020
As the rally continued, people from the surrounding community joined the demonstration.
Activists encouraged everyone to vote and handed out literature that contained information about polling sites in Woodside, Corona and Jackson Heights. Justice for George Queens, which has not endorsed any candidates as an organization, also distributed papers that listed the candidates running in several local races.
Additional reporting by Dean Moses.
This story first appeared on qns.com.
