TAMPA, Fla — Editor's note: State Attorney Andrew Warren will announce his decision on whether to prosecute protesters who were arrested June 2 on charges of unlawful assembly at noon Monday, according to a news release. There are 67 cases.
Protesters met in Joe Chillura Courthouse Square Park to advocate for a different cause: their fellow protesters.
The group was marching, chanting and demonstrating to ask State Attorney Andrew Warren to drop all charges against protesters arrested during demonstrations from the past several weeks.
“We don’t want to single out, single protesters, we want to have a broad-based approach to it because at the end of the day, it is our right to assemble, our right to protest and our freedom of speech," organizer Alexander Heron said.
Protesters are unconvinced that every arrest is justified.
“It would require them to have knowledge of every individual that’s actually engaged in that," Heron said. "Instead, you are having a situation where because something did occur, they’re indiscriminately charging people with things they may not have done.”
Even in cases where the evidence may be clearer, protesters still think clearing protesters' names is the right thing to do.
“That frustration bubbles up and I don’t think it's unreasonable to think that someone would throw a water bottle at what they would perceive as the state," Heron said. "In fact, I would argue on top of that, that is one of the most minor responses to decades and decades of enduring injustice.”
State Attorney Warren said in a statement:
"Peaceful protests are vital to our democracy—they provide an outlet for anger and frustration, as well as inspire change.
"For protestors who were arrested for unlawful assembly the night of June 2, our office worked to get them out of jail as quickly as possible, which is consistent with our office’s policy for non-violent misdemeanors.
We are still awaiting some pieces of information regarding the arrests from June 2, and it would be improper for us to decide how we are handling any case before we have reviewed all the relevant facts."
His office has also said they once they have worked through June 2, they will apply the same logic to each proceeding day and arrests.
Protesters say they will continue to fight for justice, for George Floyd and his black brothers and sisters and for protesters in Tampa Bay.
“Four-hundred years of systemic and institutional oppression. That needs to change," protester Matthew Wheat said. "The virus of racism is much more dangerous than the virus of coronavirus.
“And we need to change it now, or it’s going to be the downfall of our society.”
The group Sunday was also advocating for a Civilian Police Accountability Council, or CPAC. It’s a democratically chosen group of civilians that would help oversee the police.
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