The long blue line
protecting the stairs and elevator

Not feeling very motivated to do anything today I thought I would go to the rally for Dontre Hamilton, the young man shot 14 times by a police officer for sleeping in a public park, something very legal. He was killed April 30, 2014 but over seven months later the District Attorney still has not decided to charge the police office or not.
We marched the short distance from Red Arrow Park, where he was killed, to city hall to visit with the mayor. When we got there we found all the elevators and stairs were blocked off by a line of police officers. Despite our pleas, chants and songs they would not bulge. Some went outside to march around only to find they were not allowed back into city hall. So a group of us inside decided to stay and wait for the Mayor.

We waited and waited and police came and went but the doors were blocked for people coming in and no Mayor. While we were waiting the family went over some of the autopsy results in the case. Dontre was shot 14 times, seven times in the back. Dontre’s body had bruises form a beating all over it while the police office had just a minor scratch.

Dontre’s family was present and I got to talk with his mother and two of his brothers plus one of the community organizers for the family. They have persistently in demanding justice for Dontre and engaging in peaceful nonviolent action to obtain it. The Mayor, District Attorney, Police Chief have been, when they can, very diligent in ignoring the case.

The people left at the end were most young persons, a mix of white and African American plus the family and some friends. After five hours it was clear the protesters inside were not going to leave without a meeting with Mayor and so a meeting, third one with Mayor, was arranged. If we had known we were going to be locked out from going in Mayor’s office I think the group would have been better prepared to stay the night or till they were forced to leave.
This case and ones like it, all across the country, is a sign that people are waking up to racism against African American males and ignoring protestors just does not work anymore. At least, let us hope so.

As someone who has been and is being ignored from acting on my conscience be it struggling against racism in the St. Vincent de Paul Society or the nearby country park or struggling against militarism, teaching killing without conscience at local Catholic university, Marquette, I can understand how being ignored on something so important can make you give up or fighting with anger. To be like this family community members to be persistent in struggling for justice but nonviolently not allowing any peace until there is justice is courageous. I will proud to be present. Without Justice there will be Peace.

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