Two years ago a young man ran terrified through East Oakland, pursued by an Oakland Police Officer. Tripping, then crashing into a gate and coming around, the last thing he likely saw was the barrel of a gun. Four shots rang out in rapid succession, the third fatally wounding Alan Blueford. His last words were "I didn't do anything."
Such is police terror.
On May 3rd, 2014, those of us who have pursued justice for Alan Blueford since that horrible day two years ago, family, friends and activists, came together in a celebration of life. Talking, rapping and walking, we remembered Alan.
The event was proclaimed
"Use Your Heels to Heal Our Community."
At the same time and at the same place, the Lake Merritt fountain, concerned Bay Area residents demanding
"Bring Back our Girls!"
came together to raise awareness for the 276 young Nigerian women kidnapped on April 16th, with little attention given by the mainstream media to this horrific crime until very recently.
Some of the BringBackOurGirls crowd (red shirted) mingling with J4AB peeps.
After the convocation the Blueford crowd, flatbed sound truck in the lead, marched around Lake Merritt, a four mile sojourn.
This walk is not a protest, it is a time for community unity as we celebrate & honor Alan's life. This walk is also a message to the Blueford's & to the community the Alan's life matters, all lives matter, including black & brown ones. We want to unite to send that message as we celebrate the life of one of Oakland's lost sons, and along with Alan, all of our children lost to violence.
Such is unity.
A tweet essay by (who else?) Alyssa (with a little help from other tweeters and photographers) as the event progressed.
Adam Blueford, Alan's father, with some Justice 4 Alan Blueford stalwarts.
Calorie intake before the march...
Sound truck.
Jeralynn Blueford revs up the crowd.
Mollie Costello tells it like it is.
"As far as I know, the solution to (police) terror is unity"
The march begins!
Lake Merritt, situated in the middle of Oakland, in the background.
Half the way around, approaching the County Courthouse where District Attorney O'Malley's offices are. She refused to indict Officer Masso or even conduct a proper investigation of the events of that tragic night, despite contradictions in Masso's story.
Made it. The Lake has been successfully circumnavigated.
Neither Alan nor Oscar, neither Andy Lopez nor James Boyd, nor the hundreds others of victims gunned down by police terror can get justice. But their spirits live on in those who remember, in those who come to honor their lives, in those who continue to protest all the senseless killings.
-----
Photo Credit: The Hoopoe for the picture below "The march begins!"