A Black Lives Matter “caravan for justice” came through Riverhead last night, stopping for a brief demonstration in the Riverhead Plaza parking lot, before moving on to Mattituck and its final destination in Greenport.
The caravan arrived nearly an hour later than expected, after getting off to a late start in Bay Shore, then making stops in East Patchogue and Shirley before pulling into the Route 58 shopping center, horns blaring, flags waving and “baby Trump” balloons bobbing in the breeze.
Robert Ray, social justice coordinator for the African American Educational and Cultural Festival, beckoned attendees to get out of their cars and turn on their phones’ flashlights.
“When police pull you over, you have to make sure we have cell phones to record what is taking place,” Ray said. “This is the reason why we received justice for George Floyd.” Floyd’s death in police custody on May 25, while a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, as he lay prone on the pavement, was captured on video by several witnesses.
Yesterday’s protest caravan against police brutality was organized by Tiara and Margarita Ferebee, Marilyn Banks-Winter of the African American Educational and Cultural Festival and others.
“We’ve been driving all over Long Island, honking our horns, being cursed at by Trump supporters,” Ray said. “We ignored them.”
Some call those in the Black Lives Matter movement terrorists, Ray said.
“We are not terrorists. We are not violent. We are not looters. We are successful black and brown kings and queens,” he said.
Marilyn Banks-Winter led the protesters in a chant of “I’m black and I’m proud” before the group returned to their vehicles and headed for the caravan’s next stop in Mattituck.
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