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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Demonstrators protest police killing of black teen

They chalked sidewalks, blocked traffic and beat on cars. They held signs that read, "Stop killing my brothers and sisters." They chanted, "Hands up, don't shoot," as they marched the streets of Bloomington. 

Members of Students Against State Violence, Indy10 ­— an organization dedicated to raising awareness for marginalized communities — and supporters marched in a demonstration for Andre Green on Friday night as a part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Beginning at the Sample Gates, demonstrators lit candles and had a moment of silence in remembrance of Green, a 15-year-old African-American teenager shot and killed by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer.

According to fliers distributed at the rally, this is the third time in the last year that “Indianapolis 
police have murdered a 
black man.”

Supporters took turns in front of the Sample Gates expressing their outrage in response to Green’s death in August and challenging systemic violence.

Speaking through a megaphone, Sean Viña’s message rang out to about 50 
demonstrators.

Viña, who is a Latino doctoral student at IU, said the rally was more about empathy than sympathy.

“This whole community is being terrorized,” Viña said. “As I look out, it perplexes me how many people are here that are not black men or black women. I think every one of us here has felt marginalized in some way.”

The demonstration then turned to the streets, as supporters marched north up Indiana Avenue stopping vehicles and yelling at drivers.

Wearing masks and hoods disguising their identities, demonstrators placed fliers in car windows.

They chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police,” calling for an end to police brutality.

Bystanders shouted back, “Police are your friends,” as leaders of the pack volleyed a hockey puck between one another, crossing the yellow lines of the street.

As the demonstration crossed Kirkwood Avenue, cars honked while nearly hitting students and protesters.

Making their way back to the Sample Gates, what remained of the group of demonstrators discussed moving forward with the case of Green.

Cassandra Gray had traveled from Indianapolis with Indy10 to join the protest. She said she would love to do another protest in Bloomington, and that the topic is not receiving the attention it deserves.

She said the purpose of the Black Lives Matter movement is not promote one race over another.

“That respectability issue is really heartbreaking,” Gray said. “It’s like those people saying, ‘You’re not good enough.’”

Gray said the path to change lies in greater awareness and caring for the movement. She said this begins with rallying in large groups and bringing the message of the movement to local 
government.

“If they want to keep things peaceful, they need to come out of their offices and talk to us,” Gray said.

Gray said she believes the Indy10 group does not garner the respect it deserves because many of its members have not gone to college and therefore are seen as less important to those in local government.

“We want our lives to matter as well as our white brothers and sisters,” Gray said. “You should not be offended when we try to seek justice for us and try not to erase the movement.”

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