Police and National Guard members were prepared for a busy night at the Garden City Shopping Center in Cranston after reports of a possible protest at the facility.
Cranston police set up blockades around the perimeter of the shopping center at 5:00 yesterday. The National Guard was called in to assist in the event of a violent protest. Several business owners boarded up their windows as a precautionary measure.
There were no major disturbances, although several teenagers were forced off the lawn outside the shopping center after passing a police blockade. I spoke to one of the protesters, a girl named Cat, who said oppressed minorities have to fight against police brutality.
“The cops have brought this to the point where it’s like, it’s kind of a civil war almost, you know? It’s like, up to the people if we’re going to have the power or not. We have to protest. We have to be here to tell them we need a change.”
“We don’t have much to lose. We have to fight. It’s not fair at all.”
Another protester said violent protests are regrettable, but she understands why they’re happening in cities across the country.
“Enough is enough. How many murders is it going to take to fix this or even attempt to solve this? I don’t think violence against violence is the answer but at the same time, if we look back, we feel like we have no other resort.”
13-year-old Valerie Samos held a sign outside the shopping center, saying she wanted to send a message to people who discriminate against minorities.
“I can’t even imagine what people must go through,’ Valerie said. ‘I just want to make a difference. I’m making a difference right now. I know this because people are taking videos of me. People are taking pictures, giving me nods, giving me thumbs up.”
No formal protest was held outside the shopping center, as the city of Cranston instituted an 8:00 curfew as part of an effort to maintain public safety.
Joe Tasca can be reached at jtasca@ripr.org
