<\/a>Juneau residents held a rally for human rights and the sanctity of black lives in Marine Park on June 6, 2020, following the death of George Floyd in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
The rally follows hundreds of demonstrations in the Lower 48 following the death of George Floyd in police custody.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“At what age do we explain to our children some people will hate them because they’re black?” said another speaker, who also declined to be identified. “Stop robbing our children of their innocence.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Speakers called for improvements to Juneau’s police, school and municipal policy. Changes they espoused include a police oversight committee, demilitarization of the Juneau Police Department, dismissal of officers not using body cameras or charged with domestic assault offenses, upgraded education of police and correctional officers on race and human rights issues, release of records concerning murdered and missing indigenous women and safe places and oversight committees in schools to push back against racist behavior.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“Just because my skin is black doesn’t make me less of a human,” said another speaker.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Demonstrators rallied at the park for roughly an hour before marching to the Douglas Bridge to drop commonly carried flowers into the water.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
[Nation’s hurt is felt at home, say black and indigenous leaders<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t