Peaceful Rally Planned For West Orange: George Floyd Protests

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A Black Lives Matter rally is reportedly being planned for Saturday in West Orange as people across the state – and nation – continue to express their outrage over the death of George Floyd.

Multiple social media sources have been reporting that a peaceful protest will take place on Saturday, June 6 at West Orange town hall, 66 Main Street at 12:30 p.m.

A Facebook event page for the June 6 rally includes the following statement:

"Hi everyone! I decided to put together a peaceful protest following the lost of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others in the past. I ask everyone who is attending to remain peaceful during the protest and to bring mask since COVID-19 is still a threat in society. I hope to see everyone there!"

Other actions to honor Floyd and denounce police brutality are reportedly slated to continue this week throughout the state.

Almost all of the protests in New Jersey so far have been overwhelmingly violence-free.

• See related article: George Floyd Protests In NJ Continue: 'Police Brutality Ends Now'

Earlier this week, several officials in West Orange offered statements that condemn the officers' actions and roles in the death of Floyd, as well as police brutality in general.

West Orange township officials offered the following message on Friday night, just hours before protests erupted across the nation.

"The death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis has sparked deep-rooted outrage across the country. The videos which have emerged depict a gross negligence of lawful authority and need to be denounced by all police agencies in the strongest of terms."

"George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a police officer is another stark reminder of the pain and frustration that many among us live with each day and a system that often fails to address it," Mayor Robert Parisi wrote in a social media post.

"I will never know what it means to grow up as a person of color in America, but I can listen to those that do," Parisi continued. "I often tell people that my biggest responsibility as mayor is to encourage community engagement and that remains a priority. More importantly, I hope to never again see an example of disdain for human life like that we witnessed in George Floyd’s murder but I hope as well, in our small part of the world, to be better as a person and as a Mayor in doing what we can to support the many friends and neighbors that can often face each day with anger and frustration…while always hoping to be part of the generation that may live to see the success we all dream of."

• See related article: Messages Of Hope, Sadness In West Orange Over George Floyd Death

Last week, West Orange Councilwoman Cindy Matute-Brown offered the following statement on her Facebook page:

“Friends and neighbors, I want to tell you that I am sick and tired of loosing my breath, of forcing myself to watch the murders of our brothers, sisters and children while loosing the fight in chocking back the tears. I force myself to watch because their families had no choice in their loss, had no choice in their grief and I cannot and will not be silent to their pain and despair. We must learn and understand the social constructs that continue to enslave, demonize, devalue and condition us with the false belief of equality and a justice system that was never intended to be just for all, but just only for those with a sense of entitlement to an America that belongs to us all. Only then can we begin to deconstruct these racist systems of oppression that serve only to continue to marginalize people of color. We must call it out, each and every time.”

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