Copied from The Brazil Times
SUNDAY
IN BRAZIL, MAY 31, 2020
The
City of Brazil was targeted on social media sites over the weekend by
organizers of an event supposed to honor the memory of George Floyd.
But the protest march announced to begin Sunday, May 31, at 6 p.m. at
Craig Park was not going to be peaceful. As a flyer and posts on
Facebook and other social media sites invited “protesters,” the
plan was to incite violence as quickly as possible by “breaking
every window” in town while walking from the park to Wal-Mart.
However, no demonstrtation and no violence erupted.
Local
law enforcement officials confirmed that the Clay County 911 Dispatch
Center was inundated with calls from the public wanting to report
concerns for the community, local businesses, and law enforcement
officers.
“This
had to be taken seriously,” said Assistant Police Chief Dennis
Archer, who confirmed the Brazil Police Department worked in
conjunction with the Clay County Sheriff’s Department to beef up a
police presence in the city Sunday night. “We reached out to the
Indiana State Police, who was dealing with situations in Indianapolis
and Terre Haute, and they sent officers here too.”
The
BPD, CCSD, ISP, and members of the Indiana Department of Natural
Resources, as well as many other departments, were in the area,
providing patrols and manpower well into the night.
“A
peaceful protest is never a problem, that is their right, and we live
in America,” said Archer, who understands the passion many feel
about the injustice of how George Floyd died while in the custody of
the Minneapolis Police. “We will help facilitate a safe event for
them if they want to have a protest march here, but if there is
criminal activity, we have to intervene.”
The
biggest reason, Archer explained, there are not enough resources in
rural communities to regulate a volatile situation if one occurred,
even if it were only a hundred people.
“This
is guilt by association situation. An officer did something wrong,
and because we are law enforcement officers in a different state, to
many, we are a target for that frustration,” said Archer. “We
didn’t do anything wrong. We are doing our jobs for our community.
We are doing it now to make sure everyone is safe.”
Thankfully
no incidents of violence or mischief were reported along main street
Monday morning.As thousands of people took to the streets in at least
75 cities nationwide, and peaceful protests about the injustice of a
black man’s death gave way to violence, destruction, and chaos in
larger cities. Something different happened in Brazil Sunday. The
Times reporter at the scene shares the experience of how a group of
people, who all wanted to remain anonymous because this wasn’t
about one person or one opinion, they took a post on the main street
of their hometown to stand watch together.
United
We Stand...
As
the patrols began along US 40, State Road 340, and around Craig Park,
people also took to the streets.
Groups
of motorcycles were also “cruising,” many wearing the colors of
various groups – some Christian cyclists, veteran motorcycle
groups, and even a few friendly groups of concerned citizens. But
there were also several members of local “motorcycle gangs”
wearing their colors while “helping to patrol” the roads.
“This
is our hometown. We are all out here because we love this place. Our
families and friends live here. Our kids go to school here,” said
one anonymous rider who stopped at a gas station to fill up before
returning to his volunteer patrol duty. “I’m not going to let
someone put our small town on a terrorist’s list like that. I’m
not here to start trouble. None of are. But no one is going to come
here with threats to destroy a town and do it in front of all these
witnesses. Yes, I’m watching you. I’m here all night if I have
to.”
That
was a common cause repeated by many of the people posted outside the
storefronts along “Main Street.”
“We
are not a mob of people causing trouble out here tonight,” said a
man, who explained the rationale about remaining anonymous in the
vigil. “We are out here helping business owners in our community.
Many of these people have spent their lives building their
businesses, providing jobs, and serving our community in so many
ways. No one is going to threaten our community like that. We are out
here to stand for each other too. They aren’t going to attack just
one; we’re in this together.”
Those
along the road were waving at the carloads of people, walking over to
chat with others at a nearby building, making plans to help each
other if the need arose.
“You
would have to be a moron not to understand why people are upset about
the injustice of how a man could die in the streets like that, and a
police officer is involved. This is America, that isn’t supposed to
happen to anyone. People want to protest to make their voices heard.
I’m right there with them. I think everyone out here tonight feels
the same way. We would walk with them now of this was a peaceful
protest to honor George Floyd’s life, to exact change and make all
lives matter,” said a woman, who brought dinner to her family. “The
minute violence erupted, this stopped being a protest for change.
Now, it’s an excuse for those with criminal intentions to run amuck
and be marauders in the streets.”
“When
people are grabbing TVs, burning down buildings, beating people, and
God knows what else during what is supposed to be something to bring
about honest dialog and change, that is no longer honorable,” said
one of the family members talking about reports from other cities.
“This isn’t what people started to do. Violence has tainted that
idea. Until these protests stop, and there’s no reason for the
criminal element to be in the streets anymore to stir up trouble, no
good can come.”
Some
people believe COVID-19 has exacerbated the riots.
“I’ve
been cooped up at my house for two months because of COVID-19. I’m
out of work, still dealing with unemployment issues, and yes, I hate
to admit this, but I don’t know my family all that well. I’ve
realized I was living a selfish life, not being a good man in many
small ways that didn’t seem to matter before, but should have,”
said a man watching the traffic. “We all have a lot of problems,
and it isn’t going to be any easier as the future goes on. Why
start burning cities down? I just can’t wrap my head around that
logic.”
A
lot of people were practicing social distancing, but not many were
wearing masks Sunday.
“It’s
a beautiful day. The Indiana State Health Department says outdoor
events are ok for people. Still, I sure wish we could have just
gathered out here to spend some positive time together,” said one
lady, who was visiting a friend at a nearby apartment complex. “The
virus is unsettling because I’m high-risk, but these riots are
frightening to me. I remember the 60s and 70s, and I don’t want to
see that happen again. None of this will ever be resolved until
people understand that all lives matter. All of this that is
happening in our nation is only creating the next generation of
hate.”
As
the start time passed, new meeting sites for the protesters and
scouting reports about the regular patrols by law enforcement, were
being followed by officials and people on the street.
Others
believed it was a hoax but they weren’t taking any chances. Some
business owners were planning to spend the night in their businesses.
“If
they come in my door tonight, or any night this week, they are going
right back out it,” said a local man who admits he has strong
opinions.
He
went on to say people would stand up for anyone’s right to a
peaceful protest.
“There
are veterans out here tonight that put the measure of their life on
the line for that right,” he said. “Police officers are out here
too and don’t you think they don’t put their lives on the line
every day. It was one crooked cop, in what seems like a crooked
system in one state (responsible for the death of George Floyd.) That
state is not Indiana, Yes, it was tragic. My prayers go out to
Mr.Floyd’s family and friends. That man’s mother has come out and
said this isn’t what her son would want to be remembered by. I know
it’s harsh, but as long as these protests continue, they are giving
an outlet to morons, like these numbskulls today tried to do here in
Brazil, to pillage and destroy.”
“What
I’ve seen out here tonight that I think people need to know is
this: It’s not a big crowd of people out here, but there is a big
cross-section of our community,” said one person. “Every age
group is represented and every religious group, all walks of life,
veterans, and even a few self-proclaimed hippies. There are Trump
supporters, and all the other political inclinations too. Law
enforcement and a few other people. This group of people should
probably never be in the same place at the same time, and if they
were, there would probably be a lively argument, to say the least,
but tonight that’s not what happened. The people who live in podunk
Brazil came together and got it right for once.”
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