DALLAS — People in Dallas continue hitting the streets in protest, almost three weeks after the death of George Floyd.
“Say his name,” a crowd shouted outside Dallas City Hall on Friday.
The participants yelled, “George Floyd!”
The group attending the We Are One demonstration was large in number. Jerusalem Assefa, a student, introduced several speakers. She described her emotions as being all over the place for several weeks.
"Whether it’s with the cops, or something else, it’s a range of emotions, and it’s hard to understand how I’m feeling,” Assefa explained.
Protesters said there is a purpose being the daily demonstrations.
"We are uniting people,” Assefa said. “We are educating others. And we’re allowing them to be heard.”
The groups are also forcing city leaders and local law enforcement agencies to respond.
”It’s long past time that we have some very frank and honest discussions about the future of our great country, state and city, ” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.
Johnson joined State Senator John Cornyn, the Dallas police chief, county sheriff, district attorney, community organizers and other leaders in conversation on Friday.
”We have to reach a point where we are comfortable in having uncomfortable conversations,” Brown said during a round-table discussion.
The group talked about issues being raised in the community about criminal justice.
Chief Hall said, ”We have to admit, acknowledge, and atone for the things that we’ve seen in law enforcement.”
The panel also discussed strategies to address the challenges.
”Our policing strategies, over the years, has created a wedge between law enforcement and our community,” Hall added. “And we have to work to fix it, and we’ve been doing the work.”
More transparency, updates in training, addressing disparities in the judicial system, and accountability are among priorities the group’s discussing moving forward.
Back on the streets, protesters say their work continues.
Assefa said, ”I am optimistic that they are talking. That we’re bringing so much attention to it, that they are being forced to speak about it.”
Protesters say the demonstrations will continue until more policies are put into action.
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