Two BHS grads plan memorial for George Floyd at Wehmhoff Square
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
The alleged murder of George Floyd, a black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer has sparked nationwide protest, outrage and violence.
The unrest has been constant since Floyd’s death a week ago.
Last weekend, just about every major city in the United States saw large protests, some peaceful, some resulting in looting and rioting, but so far the protests have happened mostly in large metropolitan areas.
Now, America’s outrage over police injustice is coming to small towns and cities.
On Tuesday at 5 p.m., a local social activism group called Kneel for Nine Burlington will embark upon Wehmhoff Square, adjacent to the Burlington Public Library, for a peaceful protest.
Organizers Jayden Welch and Preston Allred, both recent Burlington High School graduates, said Monday this is more of a “moment of reflection in solidarity” for Floyd.
“This is a national event that is happening in many cities, and we felt it important to bring it to our community,” Allred and Welch stated in an email Monday night. “This is a memorial for George Floyd’s life. The desired outcome is to encourage our community to come together and acknowledge the racial tension in our own community.”
Welch, 19, is a pre-medicine major at Carroll University and an EMT for the Burlington Rescue Squad.
He is involved in the Delta Rho Upsilon fraternity in Waukesha, which serves the Hebron House.
Allred, a 21-year-old Burlington native, works as a resident assistant and has a certificate for recording and live sound from the Madison Media Institute.
“I hope to bring awareness to injustices in this country and unite us through music,” Allred said.
Kneel for Nine is a symbol of the nearly nine minutes that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on the neck of Floyd, ultimately resulting in his death.
In the email, the men said they don’t need a permit for a traditional public forum, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Welch said he can feel the “anger of my people,” the black community.
Allred said he doesn’t condone the violence currently going on across the country.
“I think what people fail to understand is that a lot of these people have tried working peacefully with the system that has oppressed them for so long that they are fed up,” he said.
Both Allred and Welch said it’s important to bring these racial issues to a small, predominantly white communities like Burlington.
“This event is important to us because it brings up issues that are rarely discussed in the Burlington community,” they said.
As for when the protesting across the country will end, it will take real, long-term change, they said.
“We don’t believe the protests will end until there is an evident, long-term change in this country regarding the issues of systematic racism, police brutality against African-Americans and people of color, and more representation of people of color within our country’s legislative system,” they said.
The event will take place from 5 to 6 p.m., according to the Kneel for Nine Facebook event page, and all are invited and encouraged to wear masks.
-
-
-
-
-