Peaceful BLM protest on Saipan

Two of Friday’s protesters re-enact the events that led to George Floyd’s death and touched off the Black Lives Matter protests gripping the United States and elsewhere. (KRIZEL TUAZON)

Several dozen community members of all shapes and sizes and hues of brown, black, yellow, and white and in-between gathered last Friday along the intersection of San Jose and Beach Road for a peaceful demonstration in support of the Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. mainland and elsewhere.

According to Shawna Brennfleck, who organized the event, “We are here to support the Black Lives Matter movement and we would like the community to be involved in becoming an international movement.”

Brennfleck said that Nola Hix, who was born on Saipan but is now living in Guam, helped organize the event. “She helped with flyers and T-shirts that were given to the first 25 registered,” she added.

In a statement issued by his office, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said, “We all have our own rights of freedom of speech, religion, and press. I congratulate them for speaking out on their beliefs, and I hope that all those that are out to support this movement, they do it peacefully.”

Civil right activist Ambrose Bennett, who is a former teacher representative on the CNMI Board of Education and joined the protest last Friday afternoon, said the grassroots effort in the CNMI is “fantastic.”

“It is great that the local people are coming out and recognizing what is happening to America. Even though it never happens here, there is always a potential for it to happen…” he said. “We didn’t just come here for George Floyd but because many people who had been killed like George Floyd, were never treated equally and looked equally.”

Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a white police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck until he stopped breathing. The officer was fired and charged with murder.

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), who was also at the protest, said, “I stand for justice. …We need to act and start doing what we need to do as citizens to ensure there is justice, peace, and love in the community. I hope this is the [starting] point to where things turn around for the better and if this is not it, we need to act more,” he said.

Former House representative Cinta Kaipat was also there to support the movement and expressed the need to step up and speak out. “Black Lives Matter. We are in the same boat and we should support this important cause,” she said.

A young child at the protest said, “I feel bad for the people that have to suffer through all of this. It just isn’t fair. The police shouldn’t be doing any of this. It is not right. They should be doing things that are right, but instead they are turning around and doing the wrong things. This makes me feel angry.”

Also present during the peaceful BLM protest were House minority leader Rep. Edwin Propst (Ind-Saipan) and Rep. Tina Sablan (Ind-Saipan). Friday afternoon’s protesters came with placards that showed their support for racial equality and against police brutality and apathy. Motorist also showed their support by honking their horns while passing by the protest grounds, which was more festive than tense.

The protest rally got started with just Zoe Travis doing a one-person demonstration last Monday along the intersection of San Jose and Beach Road, promising to devote one hour of her time every morning until last Friday to hold up a placard that says “Black Lives Matter.”