CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Around 75 people gathered in Iowa City Sunday for the second day of demonstrations. Organizers said the gathering on the Pedestrian Mall was organized to be a peaceful, silent vigil in remembrance of George Floyd and to show solidarity with the people of Minneapolis.
One of the demonstration’s organizers asked TV9 to not use her name. She said she organized the event out of anger.
“It’s unacceptable the way that our fellow men are being treated as less than,” she said.
She said it was important for her to help remember George Floyd, but she also felt the need to help bring awareness to the racism she said exists in law enforcement.
“I remember in history class being like, ‘man I wish I could have been there to stand with them, I wish I could have fought for what I knew was right,' and now, for some ungodly reason, I have the opportunity to and I’m not going to miss that call,” the organizer said.
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Connie Concepcion was at the vigil. She said she attended her first demonstration at the age of 17.
“I think it’s gotten to a point where people are actually beginning to notice that everything is just so messed up and this is just simply a catalyst, because it’s not just this one person, it’s not matter of the fact that George Floyd was black, the cop was white, but we’ve got systemic class problems, this has been going on for a long time,” Concepcion said.
Concepcion said she has lived in Europe, but in the U.S., as a woman of color, she always has to stay alert.
“I have never experienced, in some respects, the fear that I fell being here in the United States,” she said. “I have biracial children, and I trust me, I live in fear, I’m concerned about their lives as well.”
She said silent demonstrations can be a powerful way to share a message and the organizer said she hopes that message sparks change.
“A bond, togetherness, strength, uh refreshed resolve in fighting on the right side of history," the organizer said.
She said she’ll keep organizing until that happens.
“Until it’s over. Until it’s over or until I die,” she said.
One person attempted to make chants and start a speech but was asked to quiet as the vigil was meant to be silent.
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