KZMU News: Monday June 8, 2020

Hundreds of Moab protestors called for an end to police brutality and systemic racism during a large demonstration Friday night. Actions included a silent vigil, a march through downtown stretching three blocks long, and 20 minutes of peacefully blocking Main Street while chanting the last words of George Floyd, a Black man who was recently killed by a white police officer. As they spoke out about police brutality against communities of color, demonstrators also said they were looking inward – to changes they could make within themselves and within the Moab community. We spoke with several about why they showed up to demonstrate, and their questions and demands of local law enforcement.

Listen to the story to the left, and read along below.

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“No Justice – No Peace – No Racist Police!” Over 400 demonstrators repeated this phrase in Moab Friday evening, their voices becoming a collective drumbeat against police brutality. In peaceful protest, they knelt across Main Street and its intersection with Center Street for over 20 minutes.

Like thousands of people across the country and world, they were calling for an end to the systemic racism at the very root of police brutality against people of color. 

“I Can’t Breathe – I Can’t Breathe – I Can’t Breathe!”

The demonstrators shouted the last words of George Floyd and Eric Garner, Black men who died after their breathing was forcefully restricted by white police officers. Floyd’s death came exactly two weeks ago, when a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.  

As they repeated the dying men’s words, many demonstrators became visibly emotional, crying as they held their hands behind their heads. 

KZMU News: It was really powerful to see all of the demonstrators in the middle of Main Street for a period of time. What were you feeling in that moment?

Oh, I was crying so hard. I felt empowered, but also heartbroken. Because hearing everyone chant Eric Garner and George Floyd’s last words really just…it broke my heart. 

ASH HOWE

Sixteen-year-old old Ash Howe created the Black Lives Matter Moab Facebook group, organizing nightly demonstrations in front of the information center through that platform last week. Moab Pride assisted Ash with Friday’s demonstration – the largest all week. 

As raindrops started to fall, Ash told the hundreds of demonstrators why he felt compelled to speak up. 

I know a lot of people of color are really scared to step up right now. And that’s why I took the chance to step up when I could, because I know some of you are scared, and I understand that. I’m scared. It’s a scary situation. But it’s time for us to stand up against scary situations and have these difficult conversations in these small towns. 

ASH HOWE

Demonstrators told KZMU News why they showed up to protest on Friday. Many said they were speaking out about police brutality against communities of color. But they also wanted to look inward, to themselves and the Moab community. Locals signed up to help with several actionable ideas that came out of last week’s candlelight vigil.

I think we started the conversation and it’s here. Just the amount of people that have showed up –  I don’t think this is the end. This demonstration just proved that to us, which I’m really excited about. 

DESIRAE MILLER

As a woman of color in this predominately white community, Moab Pride organizer Desirae Miller told demonstrators that this is not the time for “white tears or white performative action.” This is the time, she said, for listening to the oppressed and echoing their voices. 

White allies who have listened to the oppressed, who have held space for the marginalized and echoed their voices – we see all of you. We stand hand in hand with you while we dismantle this system!

DESIRAE MILLER

This nationwide movement is forcing and informing important local conversations, making towns like Moab look at their own systemic racism and law enforcement policies. Shortly before Friday’s demonstration, Moab City’s mayor and police chief issued a joint proclamation pledging to review their current use of force policies. 

KZMU News asked protestors why they showed up on Friday, but also what they want to see from our local law enforcement.

There’s just a lot of pain. And I don’t think any more Black mothers should lose their kids and for nothing, you know? (It’s) just nonsensical.

ANONYMOUS PROTESTOR

KZMU NEWS: What would you say to local law enforcement and what can this community do better?

I think that we can do a lot of implicit bias training. We can do psychological courses, you know, to help them learn about some things they might even have that they’re not aware of. Everyone can do work. 

ANONYMOUS PROTESTOR

There’s an incredible rise of fascism and police brutality in the country and you can’t stay silent at a time like this. The few bad apples argument doesn’t sit well with me. And it’s up to law enforcement to be proactive in restoring the credibility of their profession.

TYLER, MOAB PROTESTOR

There’s something about a man calling for his mama when he’s dying, when somebody has got their knee on his neck, that has to kick us in the stomach in a way that a lot of other things maybe haven’t yet. And it seems to reach to the heart and the gut in a way that made everybody that I know of conscience sob. And the feelings aren’t enough, you’ve got to translate that into action. But if that isn’t the kick to the gut that you need to start taking some action, I don’t know what would do it.

NANCY, MOAB PROTESTOR

KZMU NEWS: What are you going to be doing in your life? 

It’s really learning as a white person about what it means to actually be an ally and not just talk about how horrible racism is. And it really seems to involve getting educated about what systemic racism is, finding out what are the organizations that are supporting the end to systemic racism and supporting them. Examining your own privilege and your own unconscious bias and the way your lifestyle supports bias and starting to put those things into action in your life. 

NANCY, MOAB PROTESTOR

I think [white people] first need to be looking inside themselves. Because I think the racism starts inside us. And even those of us who think we’re liberal and progressive and tolerant, don’t recognize how we have inculcated racist attitudes. And secondly, I think we need to give support to the younger generation. I’m part of the Woodstock generation. We thought we would change the world, and we haven’t. And I think the younger generation…can do what we were not able to accomplish.

MANUEL, MOAB PROTESTOR

[I came here today] because I have the privilege of knowing that…I’m safe to be here. So I have to be here for the people who aren’t safe to come.

[I came here to] to stand in solidarity with the people who do need to fight for this. And because it’s wrong that the color of your skin should determine anything. That shouldn’t determine whether or not you get to live.

I think that I would say [to our law enforcement] try to figure out the situation before you act. Because you can’t take those actions back. You can’t revive someone. You can’t just shoot on impulse because that’s someone’s life. 

I think that I would ask [local law enforcement], if you were to shoot someone, why would you do that? Like, why would you even think about doing that to someone because you know that it’s someone’s life and it’s extremely precious. And you shouldn’t just do that because, like, you’re having a bad day or you’re mad or something. It’s not okay.  

MAGGIE, JENNA, SADIE, MAYA – MOAB PROTESTORS

Moab has it easier than a lot of the rest of the country. We don’t have a lot of the glaring problems that everywhere else is facing day to day, but that doesn’t mean that our cops can be less accountable to being the best that they can be. And I would like our local police – because there are good cops everywhere and there are bad cops everywhere – but the good cops everywhere need to start standing up and demanding for change and accountability in their own organization.

JOEY, MOAB PROTESTOR

I saw the statement from the police today. And it was a very nice statement. But it’s really easy to say that you will do something and not follow through on it. And we need to be holding them accountable consistently. And not just take their word for it because we have seen all over cops continue to say ‘we stand by you’ only to turn around and hurt protesters. We need to make sure that something similar doesn’t happen here.

CJ, MOAB PROTESTOR

Last weekend, a cop came up to me and he said ‘racism doesn’t exist here.’ And that was an officer on the force of the Moab Police Department…They just don’t think it’s a problem. They don’t see it happening. And they don’t see that they are still part of that system – that we’re all a part of that system. Because there’s no black bodies here they think that it just doesn’t exist, which is also ridiculous because there’s such a large Indigenous community here who experiences racism every single day.

ELENA, MOAB PROTESTOR

White silence is violence [means] that just because we’re white, and it might not be happening to us, it doesn’t mean that we’re not a part of this problem. In fact, we are the makers of this problem. And it’s not just the people who are doing it to Black people. It’s also the fact that white people are staying silent. And the fact that we’re sitting silent is letting it continue to happen. We’re not encouraging it, but we’re not stopping it either. And so it’s just letting it continue on. So white silence is violence. 

NAYA, MOAB PROTESTOR