Several thousand march for equality in Eastern Henrico

Several thousand people showed up to peacefully march for justice in Eastern Henrico Sunday afternoon.

The crowd gathered outside Saint Paul’s Baptist Church on Creighton Road in the wake of protests across the country after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

The organizers of the event – Varina District Supervisor Tyrone Nelson, Henrico School Board Chairman and Fairfield District representative Roscoe Cooper, and Pastor Lance Watson of St. Paul’s Baptist – wanted to provide the community a safe space to address concerns affecting the black community.

The crowd marched down Creighton Road, toward Laburnum Avenue, chanting and singing as one. As marchers made their way west, onlookers cheered and filmed them. One bystander said the event was part of history and there was no way he would miss it, then eventually left his car on the side of the road and marched with the crowd.

The group continued to the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, where it gathered around a stage to hear speakers tell their stories and demand change.

“Today is about change; this is not a marathon, this is not a sprint,” said local radio personality and journalist Clovia Lawrence. “We don’t want to walk away from this moment empty-handed.”

Lawrence stressed to the crowd the importance of voting, telling attendees that they would be putting their own knee on their necks by failing to do so. Lawrence also listed some demands that she said should be met as a result of this movement, including:

• national guidelines that define excessive force from police officers;
• an independently appointed citizen review board that has actual power, including receiving all evidence within seven days of an officer-involved death;
• laws prohibiting chokeholds from police officers and requiring officers to intervene when they see other officers using excessive force;
• more training for police to de-escalate potentially violent situations;
• federal background checks and regular health checks for police officers.

Lawrence told members of the crowd that they could recommend changes by texting the number (804) 643-4769.

Speaker Amanda Shelton, the director of Black Wealth Matters, said that while ensuring that black lives matter is important, addressing the quality of those lives should be just as important.

“My child should be able to go to school in the East End and receive the same quality of education as a child in the West End” said Shelton.

Henrico Police Athletic League Executive Director Kenny Ragland, a former Henrico police officer, told attendees that America has had an open wound for 400 years. The first victims of discrimination in law enforcement, he said, are the black officers who cannot speak up.

“Believe me, there is bigotry in the police department,” he said. “As a retired police officer, my heart hurts.”

Monica Hutchinson, a community activist and member of Henrico NAACP spoke directly to the crowd about ensuring that this movement remained focused on the goal.

“We need to focus on black lives. Do not let anyone dilute this movement right now,” said Hutchinson. “Right now WE are the focus because we have never been before.”

Several children spoke to crowd about how they are scared to grow up black and expressed concerns that students in different parts of the county don’t receive the same quality of education.

In addition to Nelson and Cooper, other elected officials in attendance included U.S. Congressman Donald McEachin, U.S. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, Fairfield District Supervisor Frank Thornton, Varina District School Board member Alicia Atkins, Virginia state Senator Jennifer McClellan, Virginia Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg (72nd District), Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, Richmond Commonwealth Attorney Colette McEachin, Henrico Sheriff Alisa Gregory, Richmond Sheriff Antionette Irvin and Henrico Schools Superintendent Amy Cashwell.

The protest ended as peacefully as it began, with protestors making their way back to Saint Paul’s Baptist Church.