More than 100 gathered at vigil to honor George Floyd and stand with peaceful protesters in Greeley’s Lincoln Park
Levette Sanchez raises a fist into the air with others in honor of George Floyd during a vigil Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Lincoln Park in downtown Greeley. Photo by Joshua Polson.
More than 100 people showed up to a candlelight vigil for George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, at Lincoln Park in Greeley. Photos by Joshua Polson.
By Kelly Ragan
Timothy Ruth stood before a crowd of more than 100 people Tuesday evening in Lincoln Park, a cardboard sign with the words “Black Lives Matter” propped up behind him as he spoke.
Ruth, of Greeley, organized a candlelight vigil after protesting in Denver for several days.
Protests erupted nationwide following the death of George Floyd. Videos show a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes as he dies.
“Silence in the face of oppression makes you complicit,” Ruth said.
In an interview with the NoCo Optimist, Ruth said he wants to show people in Greeley that he and others stand with peaceful protesters and honor the lives of black Americans lost to police brutality across the country.
Timothy Ruth shouts through his face mask, “I can’t breath,” as he leads a vigil in honor of George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Lincoln Park in downtown Greeley. Photo by Josh Polson.
Several people came up to share words and thoughts on Floyd’s death and the national response from protesters, including longtime Greeley activist Jeri Shepherd.
“We repudiate a system that hurts people,” Shepherd said. “We repudiate a system that values profits over people.”
For others, it was the first time they attended a vigil.
Mario Santacruz and Martha Rincon, of Greeley, said they came to Lincoln Park as soon as Santacruz got off work Tuesday.
Santacruz said watching the video of Floyd’s death affected him, and that he hasn’t been able to get it out of his head.
“He deserved better,” Santacruz said. “He deserves to be here.”
Rincon said she didn’t know what to expect when they showed up, as attendees silently kneeled in the damp grass for nine minutes, Rincon was brought to tears.
The vigil gave her a strange sort of hope, she said. Though things are bleak right now, she’s hopeful something will change.
“I hope my sons don’t have to worry like we do,” Rincon said.
More than 100 people attended a vigil in honor of George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Lincoln Park in downtown Greeley. Photo by Josh Polson.
On Saturday, May 31, another group of Greeley residents hosted a vigil. The Greeley Tribune reported 40-45 people participated.
Plans for other vigils, marches and protests are cropping up in the Greeley area.
At least one protest is planned for Friday, June 5. According to a Facebook post, it’s scheduled for 6-8 p.m. at Monfort Park, 2122 50th Ave. in Greeley. For more information, check out the Facebook event here.
A protest is scheduled for Saturday, June 6. According to a Facebook post, it’s scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday across the street from the Greeley Police Department, 2875 W 10th St. For more information, check out the group’s Facebook page here.
Ruth has been to plenty of protests over the years, he said, and most of them have been without much incident.
But when Ruth participated in Denver protests Saturday, he got tear gassed and flashbangs went off around him, he said. It was scary, but it made him realize he needed to be there.
“The fight to end racism and to end discrimination isn’t in the hands of the people who are victimized by it; it’s in the hands of those who benefit from it,” Ruth said. “(Change) starts with me getting tear gassed, it starts with me going to the front of the line to face police brutality, because black people face it every day.”
How have local officials reacted?
This week, some local leaders issued statements.
Greeley city council issued this statement Tuesday on Facebook:
"Like many, this council has watched video footage of George Floyd being excessively restrained by police, which ultimately lead [sic] to his death. This council extends our compassion to Mr. Floyd’s family. We recognize and condemn the actions that lead to Mr. Floyd’s death. This situation is tragic. As a council, we do not condone police brutality. We acknowledge that racism exists and we must all be part of creating change. The violent events that followed are also tragic. Standing up for what you believe in is important. Harming other people or property along the way is not productive. We are proud of those who gathered here in Greeley over the weekend and constructively shared your voice. We are also proud of our local law enforcement for their efforts and behavior. As a council, we might not have all the answers and solutions, but our commitment to all of Greeley is to listen, learn and do better. Greeley is home to all of us, and home should be a place where compassion, empathy, dialogue and unity flourish."
KJ Burrola speaks to the crowd during a vigil held in honor of George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Lincoln Park in downtown Greeley. Photo by Joshua Polson.
At the city council meeting Tuesday, Councilmember Tommy Butler said he’d prefer if the statement issued by the council specifically said black lives matter, but the request fell flat.
Butler took to Twitter to criticize the move.
“I pushed for the statement from City Council to include the words ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Those words are missing from the statement.” Butler wrote. “I am heartbroken and angry about the murder of George Floyd, and I am frustrated that we failed to do the bare minimum.”
University of Northern Colorado President Andy Feinstein also weighed in (you can read the full letter here).
“George Floyd is another victim among countless others who have violently lost their lives or whose lives were threatened because of the color of their skin,” Feinstein wrote. “To echo the words of activist Angela Davis, ‘In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.’ I encourage each of you to join me in my commitment to not just speak out against hatred and bias, but to pursue and implement positive change.”
More than 100 people attended a vigil in honor of George Floyd Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at Lincoln Park in downtown Greeley. Photo by Joshua Polson.
Greeley Police Department’s chief of police, Mark Jones, wrote an op-ed in The Greeley Tribune this week, as well (read the full piece here).
“I hear daily people saying, ‘We are living in crazy times.’ It is hard to argue with that sentiment, but I assure you the Greeley Police Department will continue to conduct itself in a professional manner and hold itself to the highest standard of conduct.
I can never promise that an officer will not violate a policy or behave in a manner outside of what is acceptable. What I can promise you is that unacceptable behavior will be dealt with and not tolerated at GPD.”