ANN ARBOR, Mich. – On Saturday, protestors from the Ann Arbor area and Detroit marched down Washtenaw Avenue to honor George Floyd and other victims of police brutality.
Organized by Survivors Speak and Value Black Lives, the protest started in the parking lot of Glencoe Crossing. Participants then marched to the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Service Center on Hogback Road.
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After organizers spoke to the socially distanced and masked crowd, members of the Black Syndicate motorcycle clubs of Detroit and Ypsilanti led protestors down Washtenaw Avenue, which was temporarily closed to traffic.
As they marched, protestors chanted “Hands up. Don’t shoot,” “stop killing us” and “no racist police.”
Once in front at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Service Center, Trische’ Duckworth of Survivors Speak as well as Sha’Teina and Dan Grady El, spoke to protest attendees.
Other speakers shared personal stories of police brutality in Washtenaw County and Detroit.
After leaving the Service Center, protestors paused for a 9-minute, 29-second moment of silence at the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue, Hogback Road and Carpenter Road. The amount of time symbolizes how long former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of George Floyd, who was honored during the rally.
Protestors marched back to Glencoe Crossing to listen to more speakers as cars passing by honked in support. Speakers included Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit, who was joined by Washtenaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Burton-Harris and Frances Walters, the Conviction Integrity and Expungement unit coordinator at Washtenaw County.