TAMPA, Fla. — Another big crowd of peaceful protesters was at Curtis Hixon Park on Sunday.
They started the protest off at the courthouse, marched the streets of downtown and wrapped everything up at Curtis Hixon Park with a big group hug.
A group of more than 150 protesters, coming together to prove that regardless of race, gender, or beliefs, we’re all human, battling a war against racism in America.
“I lived back there in the 60s, so for me, this is just another part of a movement that we should not still be fighting,” said Pastor Philetha Tucker-Johnson, the president of the Tampa Bay Juneteenth Coalition.
Marq and Camilla Patton brought their kids to the protest.
“I came out to a few events before, and my kids were crying saying that they didn’t want [me to go], because of the negative things that were going on,” said Marq Patton, a protester at Curtis Hixon.
They wanted to open their children's eyes to what this movement is really all about.
“Being able to see it, they’ll be able to get a better understanding when they’re older, being like ‘oh, we were there,’” said Marq Patton.
Protesters marched for justice and formulated their plan of action.
“Our voice need to be heard in a building where you have no choice but to respect me,” a protester said while speaking to the crowd ahead of the march.
Organizers encouraged the crowd to get involved in city hall meetings and make their voices heard at the polls, but in the meantime, they’ll keep on marching.
“We’re here to cause a disruption, a peaceful disruption. The city needs to know that we will not take this here in Tampa,” said Ashley Canay, a protester at Curtis Hixon.
Today’s protest wrapped up around 6:30 p.m. this evening. Protesters say they’ll be back tomorrow, vocal, but peaceful.
