Permanent Vigil Installed to Honor Black and Brown People Killed by Police

IN THE WAKE OF THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, A MULTIRACIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING IN SO-CALLED 'OAKLAND', WHO ARE OUTRAGED BY THE ONGOING STATE-SANCTIONED, COLD-BLOODED MURDERS OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, COLLECTIVELY DECIDED TO CREATE A PERMANENT VIGIL. TO CREATE A SPACE TO COME TOGETHER IN MOURNING AND RAGE, TO HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND TO CELEBRATE THEIR LIVES.

HERE, THE COMMUNITY GATHERED TOGETHER TO FEEL THEIR GRIEF, TO HONOR THE DEAD, TO SHARE SKILLS WITH EACH OTHER, TO ASSEMBLE IN ORDER TO EXPRESS THEIR RAGE AT THE ON-GOING POLICE VIOLENCE, AND TO INITIATE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE AND WHITE SUPREMACY.

IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT THE CITY (OR SOME BRANCH OF ITS GOVERNMENT) DECIDED TO TAKE DOWN THE FIRST VERSION OF THIS PLACE OF MOURNING AND HONORING. BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES DESERVE A PLACE TO MOURN AND BE OUTRAGED THAT IS NOT RELEGATED TO THE PRIVATE AND ISOLATED REALMS. IT IS A VIOLENT PHENOMENON IN ITSELF TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE OF ANGER AND GRIEF DISMISSED SO PUBLICLY. TO HAVE TO PERPETUALLY FIGHT THE VIOLENT AND TRAUMATIZING SYSTEMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY, CAPITALISM, & PATRIARCHY, ONLY TO HAVE THE PLACE OF MOURNING BE REMOVED IS DISGUSTING AND CRUEL. SHAME ON WHOEVER HAD THE HEARTLESSNESS TO DO SUCH A THING. IT IS INHUMAN, MALICIOUS, AND HATEFUL.

WE WILL NOT TOLERATE OR SUCCUMB TO SUCH HEARTLESSNESS. AS WE WISH TO DESTROY VIOLENT & TRAUMATIZING ENTITIES, WE ALSO WISH TO OFFER AND CREATE SPACES OF HEALING AND CONNECTION.