Diverse Crowd Marches Peacefully At Fremont George Floyd Protest
FREMONT (KPIX 5) -- From Newark to Fremont, protesters held largely peaceful marches across the Bay Area in the memory of George Floyd Tuesday.
"This means everything," said one man marching with his two daughters in Fremont. "I was born and raised in Louisiana. My mom marched in the civil rights movement back in the 60s. It's great to be out here with the next generation to change the world."
FULL COVERAGE: GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS
The crowd marched four miles in the heat, stopping at Fremont City Hall for a nine minute moment of silence and comments from several marchers. It culminated at Fremont Police Department headquarters where protesters stood face-to-face with officers for about an hour.
It was a crowd that was decidedly young.
"My daughter, my daughter's boyfriend," said Melisa Parish who was handing out bottled water. "Just trying to provide water for them on the way. It's a long walk on a hot day."
The group's message was a simple one.
"It's time," said Yvonne Parks. "Something should be done."
The Fremont march was also tremendously diverse, with signs reflecting support from a wide range of backgrounds.
"For one I'm glad everyone's out here," said Kahari Leno. "All these people of color. That's one of the beautiful things to see."
Across town, businesses scrambled to board up ahead of the march, but there was absolutely no trouble as most protesters made their way home around 6 p.m. The march has stayed on message throughout day.
"Hopefully, I hope, that this will be the last time we really talk about this," Leno said of the nationwide protests and unrest.
That hope, that these protests could herald some real and lasting change, was shared among marchers young and old.
"I'm out here because I am 73 years old and I've seen this kind of madness for far too long," Parks said. "It's time, it really is. Nobody is asking to get away with anything, just justice. Equal, for all."
