Black Lives Demonstration Planned In Bradenton Wednesday

Bradenton FL

21 April, 2021

1:11 PM

Description

BRADENTON, FL — Sarasota and Manatee County social and racial justice groups have organized a Black Lives Matter demonstration in the wake of the guilty verdict against former cop Derek Chauvin in Minnesota. The demonstration is planned for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Manatee County Courthouse, which is located at 1051 Manatee Ave. W in Bradenton. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, a Black man, Tuesday. "As we process the emotions involved in community, we will remember George Floyd, Rodney Mitchell, Corey Mobley, Justin Stackhouse, Duante Wright, Adam Toledo and the many other victims of police brutality," according to the Facebook event description. "The Chauvin verdict represents only one victory among the thousands of lives that have been brutalized and murdered by America's racist police system. This is just the beginning. The fight continues to dismantle systemic racism as we understand that one guilty verdict does not substitute policy change or dismantling the racist system of policing!" Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Bradenton newsletters and real-time email alerts. The event is cohosted by BLM Manasota, The Rodney Mitchell Foundation, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the Leaders Rights Organization, Answer Suncoast and the ACLU local chapter. This demonstration is being organized just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB1, a controversial "anti-riot" bill, into state law Monday. The bills allow law enforcement and government leaders to place tougher penalties on protesters and redefines rioting as "a violent public disturbance involving an assembly of three or more (people) acting with a common intent to assist each other in violent and disorderly conduct, resulting in injury to another person, damage to property or imminent danger of injury to another person or damage to property." While DeSantis said this will control violent protests, local activists are concerned that it will also quell peaceful protestors and free speech.