Citizens march for local unity

Online Poster

Online Poster

By Amanda Reavy

Drivers honked their horns and onlookers peered out storefront windows in downtown Champaign as nearly 200 marchers snaked their way down University Avenue Saturday morning.

Sheets of rain did not dampen their spirits as the crowd – which represented all different ages, races, party affiliations and organizations – shouted: “Tell me what unity looks like, this is what unity looks like!”

The marchers were participating in CU Citizens for Justice and Peace’s first Unity March. The march aimed to unite community members to protest the remaining eavesdropping charges against Patrick Thompson, demand a citizen’s review board of the police departments to encourage people to vote and let their voices be heard, said Aaron Ammons, co-founder of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice. Ammons organized the march with his wife, Carol.

Thompson and Martell Miller, members of Visionaries Educating Youth and Adults (VEYA), were charged with eavesdropping by the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s office for recording on-duty Champaign and University police officers. State’s Attorney John Piland dropped the charges against Miller in late September, but Thompson’s charges are still standing.

CU Citizens for Peace and Justice, a grassroots organization of Champaign-Urbana residents, organized the march. Sponsors included VEYA, the Champaign County American Civil Liberties Union and the Anti-War, Anti-Racism Effort.

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“It is ridiculous the state’s attorney dropped the charges against Martell Miller, but Thompson is still in jail,” said Kimberlie Kranich, a member of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice. “It is another example of how injustice works.”

Kranich also said a citizens’ review board is necessary because the Champaign-Urbana community has had to fight the acquisition of tasers by the Champaign Police Department and two eavesdropping cases. Tasers are electronic shock devices that shoot 50,000 volts of electricity to paralyze people.

“It is unconstitutional for an organization to police themselves, especially in a community with tensions so high because of racial disparities,” Ammons said.

He said these issues were the catalyst for the march; however, his group sought to keep citizens unified and proactive in the overall struggle for justice, regardless of where they live or their political affiliation.

CU Citizens for Peace and Justice invited representatives from several local political parties and organizations to participate in the march, including members of the police departments, Ammons said.

“It is not about favoritism but about unification,” he said. “Social ills plague all of us as a community and we need to address them as one.”

Participants began the march by gathering at one of two locations. Residents who live south of University Avenue met at Scott Park, while residents living north met at Douglass Park. Ammons said these two locations were symbolic of divisions within the Champaign-Urbana community.

“University Avenue has become the dividing line between the campus area and the rest of the community,” he said. “We want to erase that dividing line and also want to erase any sort of divisions, whether it be race, gender, lifestyle.”

The two groups marched down University Avenue and merged in front of the Champaign Police station. They then marched together to West Side Park where they gathered around the fountain to listen to various speakers, including Republican state representative candidate Deborah Feinen and the Democratic candidate for Champaign County state’s attorney, Julia Rietz.

The rally also featured performances by the Urbana Junior High cheerleaders and students from the African American Cultural Arts Program.

Urbana City Council Alderwoman Danielle Chynoweth said she played a supporting role in the march because Champaign-Urbana is a segregated community that does not openly acknowledge the consequences of segregation.

“Ongoing peace is important, and it is up to us as a community to work across racial and economic lines for the values of peace and of justice,” she said.

Carolyn Sundlof, junior in FAA and president of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, said she participated to protest the unequal police presence on the north end of town, overspending in the war on drugs and racism within the police department. She said she also thought it was important for the campus community to unite with the rest of community to bring about social change.

“Unity within the community is good for our movement. It’s good for theirs,” Sundlof said. “It’s good for everybody.”

Champaign resident Darrin Darda said he braved the rain Saturday because he believed demonstrations were a good opportunity for citizens to make their opinions heard.

“Any time people are coming together to make a better world, I’m there,” Darda said.

Kranich said the large turnout demonstrated the community’s determination to seek change. Kranich’s one disappointment with the march was the lack of police protection. Despite obtaining a permit from police, Kranich said she and other marchers had to hold back traffic themselves during the march.

Champaign Police Chief R.T. Finney said traffic control was not a requirement in the permit CU Citizens for Justice and Peace obtained. However, he said the department works with these groups when they march and that they generally were cooperative.

Finney also said the police department was looking at the possibility of a citizens’ review board with their community relations committee.

“It is absolutely imperative that all citizens take a part in monitoring law enforcement,” he said. “We welcome that.”

He also said the issue of racism is one the department was always concerned about.

Carol Ammons, another co-founder of CU Citizens for Peace and Justice, said she was overwhelmed by the turnout. She said she hoped citizens would continue to take a participatory role in community issues after Saturday’s march and that she planned on making the march an annual event.

“We can definitely get together and show our ability to unite and make a difference, even despite the drenching rain,” she said.