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From Staff Reports
At least seven protest rallies have been held in the past month or so across Buncombe County over alleged police brutality targeting blacks.
The protests were triggered by two cases:
• A Ferguson, Mo., grand jury decision on Aug. 9 not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old who reportedly got into a struggle with Wilson after allegedly robbing a convenience store.
• A New York City grand jury decision on Dec. 3 not to indict officer Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, who was unarmed and allegedly selling loose cigarettes — and reportedly was uncooperative with officers.
In both cases, the officers were white and the two men killed were black. In Wilson’s case, he said he felt his life was in danger.
During some of the Buncombe protests, demonstrators held pictures of Reynolds High football player A.J. Marion, who was killed in 2013 by an Asheville police officer following a residential break-in, report of a gunshot and ensuing foot chase.
As was the case with Brown and Garner, Marion was black and unarmed and the white officer was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
The local protests included the following:
• Nov. 25 — About 200 people gathered at the Vance Monument in downtown Asheville to protest the decision to not indict Wilson.
• Dec. 1 — A number of UNC Asheville students gathered on campus as part of a national movement to raise awareness of what they called police violence in response to the Ferguson incident. Students walked out of class at 1:01 p.m., the same time Brown was killed by Wilson. The walkout at UNCA was one of at least 60 such protests across the country
• Dec. 4 — More than 100 people showed up near the Vance Monument to protest the grand jury’s decision to end the criminal case against Pantaleo.
• Dec. 5 — A protest against alleged police brutality was held by a number of students at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa.
• Dec. 6 — A “die-in” protest on the killing of Garner drew more than 100 people was held in downtown Asheville. The protesters marched from the Buncombe County Courthouse to the center of downtown to rally, where they staged the “die-in” against police brutality. Despite the rain, protesters, led by students, chanted, “Hands up, don’t shoot!” and “We are unstoppable, another world is possible!”
• Dec. 11 — Activists from the local LGBTQ community rallied at the Vance Monument to show support for victims of police brutality. The event was originally organized as a counter-protest to a “Stop Brutalizing Our Police Rally” that had been planned by conservative activists. However, the rally to support police was cancelled by its organizers, Dr. Carl Mumpower and Chad Nesbitt, who issued a press release citing fear of “potential violence” if the events happened simultaneously in the same area. The LGBTQ rally went on as planned, attracting about 30 participants. There was little police presence and attendees were mostly peaceful and law-abiding, although a splinter group of self-described anarchists did momentarily interrupt traffic as they started to march down Patton Avenue.
• Dec. 13 — WNC Solidarity held a march against police violence from St. James African Methodist Church to the Vance Monument. It was led by families with members who had been killed by police.
On related issues, Asheville Citizen-Times reporter John Boyle wrote a column in early December, expressing sympathy for those who feel they are victims of police brutality.
In response, Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bothwell wrote to the AC-T, “This is wildly funny. John Boyle, who was so totally dismissive of the obvious racism in the Asheville Police Department a couple of weeks ago is suddenly all upset about racism elsewhere. Boyle, you don’t have a clue. The facts will out. But, jeez, what two-facedness!”
Meanwhile, Arden resident Russell Johnson went to Ferguson on Nov. 26 to protest what he saw as injustice — and the Asheville radio host’s actions got him a dislocated shoulder, time in jail and instant international notoriety.
Johnson, 45, recounted being arrested in front of Ferguson City Hall and being hauled off by police. He is the host of “Political Alchemy,” which airs on Asheville FM.
In yet another related matter, there have been several meetings recently in the Asheville area of groups discussing allegations of police brutality and ways to bridge tensions between blacks and the police.
One of the meetings, held Dec. 18 at Klondyke Homes public housing in Montford, drew about 75 people, including children, parents, police officers, community organizers, nonprofit service providers and college students.
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