Robert Williams, 47, a veteran with the U.S. Air Force, waves a Black Lives Matter flag at Catalina Park during the Black Lives Matter protest in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Credit: John de Dios
Noelani Betters, a 15-year-old Tucsonan, organized two Black Lives Matter protests in Tucson for Saturday, July 4, 2020. Betters led the first protest that started at Tucson City Hall that grew to roughly around 60 protesters of mostly young people, as they marched to the University of Arizona campus, before meeting up with a second and much larger group at Catalina Park, located on 941 North 4thAvenue.
Betters, armed with a megaphone, was surrounded hundreds of protesters she’s met at other Black Lives Matter protests since the beginning of June. Chanting “No Justice, No Peace” and other more pointed messages, the first group marched toward Catalina Park, encouraged by honking cars, and members of the public that cheered them on from businesses and surrounding apartments, including high-rises at the UArizona. Flanked by a sizable police escort led by Sergeant Mitch Vipond from the Tucson Police Department’s community networking team, the protest continued to grow bigger and louder before they wound through Downtown Tucson into the early evening on Saturday.
“I want equality. This is supposed to be Independence Day, but no one is independent,” Betters said. “There are people in cages, Indigenous women are disappearing, people are getting sprayed with deadly chemicals (by the police).”
One of the other young people who took the front of the line for Saturday’s protest was Isabelle Mundo, 19. Mundo, a University of Arizona student, said she has been protesting since the beginning of June when protests erupted across the country after footage of George Floyd’s murder at the hands of former and disgraced Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin went viral on social media.
“We live in a diverse community and we need to support all of those who are oppressed by White Supremacy,” Mundo said. She, who is originally from Northern Arizona, said she has always been active online with social causes, but has wanted to become more active in person. Attending the university has given her the opportunity to become more involved and active within the community.
One of the protesters that joined at Catalina Park was retired air force airman Robert Williams, 47.
“Black Lives Matter,” he said, brandishing a Black Lives Matter flag high overhead.
The protest grew even larger as it wound around Downtown Tucson, after merging with a third group that was protesting to draw attention to the brutal killing of Fort Hood Private First-Class Officer Vanessa Guillen. The protest worked its way back to Catalina Park where the leaders thanked the many attendees with fireworks exploding overhead in the distance.
Noelani Betters, 15, checks her social media for updates and messages from volunteers and other protesters. Betters organized two of the events on Saturday, having been motivated by Protests for Change on the Social Media application TikTok. “I want equality, this is supposed to be Independence Day, but no one is independent,” Betters said. “There are people in cages, Indigenous women are disappearing, people are getting sprayed with deadly chemicals (by the police).” Credit: John de Dios
Eighteen-year-old Brysen, who did not want to give his full name, holds a megaphone and talks to the crowd of protesters at Catalina Park, located at 941 N 4th Ave., about where to go and what to do while marching on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Brysen, who was not involved in organizing the event, was a prominent speaker at the protest. He coordinated with both protesters and police officers throughout the day as they marched around Tucson. Credit: Alan Scott Davis
Leigh-Ann Salazar and Tanner Childress sit and wait amongst their fellow Black Lives Matter protesters at Catalina Park, located at 941 4th Ave., on July 4, 2020. This was Childress’ first BLM protest and Salazar’s third. “I went to the protest in Huntington Beach, Phoenix and now this one,” Salazar said. “What makes this different is that, I’ve lived here for three years now and this is my home. This is where I met my boyfriend. My life is here.” Credit: Alan Scott Davis
One of the protesters gives a speech to the crowd as they sit and rehydrate at the corner of Congress Street and Granada Avenue in Downtown Tucson on Saturday, July 4, 2020. After the speech, the protesters marched through the narrow streets of downtown where their voices echoed off the buildings and the ground vibrated under their stomping feet. Credit: Alan Scott Davis
With hundreds of protesters behind her, Betters lead the protest through Downtown Tucson before making her way back to Catalina Park. Credit: John de Dios
Lily Pavy, 24, dons an “I can’t breathe” mask during the rally, a call back to the last words uttered by George Floyd before he was killed by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Pavy, who works at the Tucson Wildlife Center, found out about the rally through Social Media said, “I’m glad to see people take the Fourth of July to come out and fight for what they believe in.” Credit: John de Dios
Black Lives Matter protests organized by 15-year-old Noelani Betters marched from Catalina Park, located on 941 N 4th Ave, to Downtown Tucson where they were joined by third group honoring murdered Fort Hood soldier Private First Class Natalia Guillen whose remains were recently found after months of searching. The protests wound around Downtown Tucson flanked by a police escort before making its way back to Catalina Park. Credit: Alan Scott Davis
A protester wears a white shirt with dates and names of those killed by police across the United States written on the back. The protester did not want to identify himself, but walked for the entire protest. Credit: John de Dios
11 replies on “Scenes from the Black Lives Matter Protest March on 4th of July”
Statute of fredrick douglas toppled in new york. Evidently somebody got upset when they found out fredrick douglas said who me? now? When John Brown ask him why he wasn’t joining them in going to harpers ferry to free the slaves. Harriet Tubman who had to be physically restrained from going to harpers ferry with John Brown asked fredrick douglas why hadn’t gone with John Brown to harpers ferry douglas said quote: “I was always better at running then I was at fighting and I will say no more in my defense!” Later douglas said “While I could live to free the slaves John Brown could die to free the slaves!” For the ignorant John Brown was white. The John Brown gun club carries on the fight of shooting back at racism to this day as they did saturday along with black militants in atlanta.
People are now starting to wake up to what BLM goals and objective are and blacks are starting to denounce them
Read Jason Whitlock story today.
Black lives matter? Over the 4th of july weekend 5 black children under the age of 10 were shot and killed. None of these children were shot and killed by police. The democratic party had better address the issue of gun violence instead of saying we are for gun control and walking away from strict penalties for gun crimes as they are in opposition to mass black incarceration. The media can only run interference for the democrat party on this issue (by ignoring the deaths of black children) Had you watched msnbc today you would not have known 5 black children under 10 were shot and killed over the weekend because that story doesn’t make trump look bad.
Dear User Community and Editors,
While the commenter I am answering may have missed the stories, his claim is false and unfounded that there were no stories in the national news networks about urban children killed by random or gang-related gun violence.
I have proofs of my claim. Users should always be able to prove what they say. The rules of credible rhetoric require not only claims but proof to back claims.
Thank you for taking the time to read this reply,
Gloria McMillan
Did Fox News cover it?
Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,
By “it,” I guess you mean whether Fox News carried the story about nationwide deaths of children by gun violence over the weekend of the 4th of July, correct?
The best way to find out if Fox News carried that story is to use carefully selected key word in search engine.
I saw Fox News listed but decided to use only the three sources. People lose interest if too many sources are listed sometimes.
My keywords were “urban children killed 4th of July weekend
Gloria McM.
Thank you Gloria. They had all kinds of stories on both ends of the spectrum.
Thank you. I was sure that not only the major news networks but many local affiliate stations gave ample coverage of the sad instances of gun violence in urban areas unrelated to the police issues.
I would suggest that in future people do a bit of digging before making a general statement about what coverage was given to a story.
Gloria McM.
Gloria I listed MSNBC not the others that is the propaganda technique of the red herring (don’t address the statement) ;but bring in some irrelevant. I watched chris hayes, madcow, laurence and fibber mcgee and none talked about 5 black children. I work during the day but I doubt msnbc mentioned the 5 shot and killed children on the early shows.
i counted one black person. the one with the megaphone. lol
Dear “Captain Etc.” and User Community,
Capt. A., you actually generalized beyond MNBC in your original post complaining that “the media” was biased and not covering the stories of children killed over that weekend unrelated to the issues of the BLM.
Quote form Capt. A’s post:
“The media can only run interference for the democrat party on this issue (by ignoring the deaths of black children)
This claim you made above was a more generalized claim that no “media” covered the violence other than BLM issued-oriented killings of children. I supplied evidence that did not support your claim.
You said “the media,” did you not?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge about rhetorical fallacies like the “red herring” fallacy. Alas, my post wasn’t a “red herring” fallacy because I addressed your generalization about “the media,” did I not?
Yours was a “glittering generalization” rhetorical fallacy based upon one network’s coverage that was, as it happens, atypical of the whole picture of network coverage.
Coverage and claims of lack of coverage in “the media” should be preceded by a survey of “the media.” One network does not “the media” make.
Statute of fredrick douglas toppled in new york. Evidently somebody got upset when they found out fredrick douglas said who me? now? When John Brown ask him why he wasn’t joining them in going to harpers ferry to free the slaves. Harriet Tubman who had to be physically restrained from going to harpers ferry with John Brown asked fredrick douglas why hadn’t gone with John Brown to harpers ferry douglas said quote: “I was always better at running then I was at fighting and I will say no more in my defense!” Later douglas said “While I could live to free the slaves John Brown could die to free the slaves!” For the ignorant John Brown was white. The John Brown gun club carries on the fight of shooting back at racism to this day as they did saturday along with black militants in atlanta.
People are now starting to wake up to what BLM goals and objective are and blacks are starting to denounce them
Read Jason Whitlock story today.
Black lives matter? Over the 4th of july weekend 5 black children under the age of 10 were shot and killed. None of these children were shot and killed by police. The democratic party had better address the issue of gun violence instead of saying we are for gun control and walking away from strict penalties for gun crimes as they are in opposition to mass black incarceration. The media can only run interference for the democrat party on this issue (by ignoring the deaths of black children) Had you watched msnbc today you would not have known 5 black children under 10 were shot and killed over the weekend because that story doesn’t make trump look bad.
Dear User Community and Editors,
While the commenter I am answering may have missed the stories, his claim is false and unfounded that there were no stories in the national news networks about urban children killed by random or gang-related gun violence.
I have proofs of my claim. Users should always be able to prove what they say. The rules of credible rhetoric require not only claims but proof to back claims.
CNN covered the story
LINK: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/06/us/children…
ABC News covered that story
LINK: https://abcnews.go.com/US/children-ages-14…
CBS covered that story:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-82-sho…
Thank you for taking the time to read this reply,
Gloria McMillan
Did Fox News cover it?
Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,
By “it,” I guess you mean whether Fox News carried the story about nationwide deaths of children by gun violence over the weekend of the 4th of July, correct?
The best way to find out if Fox News carried that story is to use carefully selected key word in search engine.
I saw Fox News listed but decided to use only the three sources. People lose interest if too many sources are listed sometimes.
My keywords were “urban children killed 4th of July weekend
Thank you Gloria. They had all kinds of stories on both ends of the spectrum.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/11-year-old-gun-violence-washington-july-fourth-crime
Dear Mr. Fitzgerald,
Thank you. I was sure that not only the major news networks but many local affiliate stations gave ample coverage of the sad instances of gun violence in urban areas unrelated to the police issues.
I would suggest that in future people do a bit of digging before making a general statement about what coverage was given to a story.
Gloria McM.
Gloria I listed MSNBC not the others that is the propaganda technique of the red herring (don’t address the statement) ;but bring in some irrelevant. I watched chris hayes, madcow, laurence and fibber mcgee and none talked about 5 black children. I work during the day but I doubt msnbc mentioned the 5 shot and killed children on the early shows.
i counted one black person. the one with the megaphone. lol
Dear “Captain Etc.” and User Community,
Capt. A., you actually generalized beyond MNBC in your original post complaining that “the media” was biased and not covering the stories of children killed over that weekend unrelated to the issues of the BLM.
Quote form Capt. A’s post:
“The media can only run interference for the democrat party on this issue (by ignoring the deaths of black children)
This claim you made above was a more generalized claim that no “media” covered the violence other than BLM issued-oriented killings of children. I supplied evidence that did not support your claim.
You said “the media,” did you not?
Thanks for sharing your knowledge about rhetorical fallacies like the “red herring” fallacy. Alas, my post wasn’t a “red herring” fallacy because I addressed your generalization about “the media,” did I not?
Yours was a “glittering generalization” rhetorical fallacy based upon one network’s coverage that was, as it happens, atypical of the whole picture of network coverage.
Coverage and claims of lack of coverage in “the media” should be preceded by a survey of “the media.” One network does not “the media” make.
Have a healthy day, everybody,
Gloria McM.