Brewster Vigil Organizer Seeks Protection

BREWSTER, NY — One of the organizers of a vigil in Brewster scheduled for Friday to protest the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis has put out a request for protection. Specifically, she wants protection from the people who posted threats, racist comments and disinformation on social media about her event.

She's hoping that residents who support people of color will come and form a protective cordon around the vigil.

A protest about the police killing of George Floyd was disrupted Tuesday by a group of mostly white people in Merrick, New York. Police had to surround the protesters to protect them, Patch reported.

Shana Gallagher is also looking to protect her event from attack, after a wave of threats, racism and misinformation. Posting on the Southeast/Brewster Facebook group Tuesday, she said:

As many of you know, soon after posting about the event about Friday, we were faced with violent threats, racist words, and an attempt to paint our protest as some sort of attack. We as organizers put the safety of our people above all else and have decided, instead, to hold a vigil and hold space for the people of color in our community who are hurting right now.
In light of this we will meet at Markel Park at 12pm on Friday, June 5th, to stand in silence for nine minutes and 53 seconds, in honor of George’s life and the thousands of other innocent lives lost by racism and police brutality. Because of the threats we have received, and to prevent any more violence against BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) we ask non black allies to show up and form a protective circle around our group, wearing signs of solidarity and support on your chest, so that we may hold this space in peace.

In hope of creating a local movement for justice and peace, the vigil's organizers will also share information and fact sheets, as well as have a sign up list. Their hope is to organize a march in the future. "We would appreciate all the support and help we could get as we organize this and especially want the voices of all oppressed people to be heard," she said.

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