Peaceful demonstrations continue to take place downtown

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  • Protesters (from left) Detra Shamlin, Meka Franklin, Drew Kemp, Zachary Dunken and Dequavian Person, all of Sulphur Springs, hold signs to protest police brutality and support the Black Lives Matter movement at the plaza in downtown Sulphur Springs Sunday afternoon. Staff photos by Jillian Smith
    Protesters (from left) Detra Shamlin, Meka Franklin, Drew Kemp, Zachary Dunken and Dequavian Person, all of Sulphur Springs, hold signs to protest police brutality and support the Black Lives Matter movement at the plaza in downtown Sulphur Springs Sunday afternoon. Staff photos by Jillian Smith
  • Demonstrating Tuesday evening were (from left) Brena Gorton, Jill Benoist, Brianna Ivery and K.J. Melton, all of Sulphur Springs. The group walked around downtown Sulphur Springs then down Gilmer and Broadway streets to deliver their message of love in the community.
    Demonstrating Tuesday evening were (from left) Brena Gorton, Jill Benoist, Brianna Ivery and K.J. Melton, all of Sulphur Springs. The group walked around downtown Sulphur Springs then down Gilmer and Broadway streets to deliver their message of love in the community.
  • Dinah and Caden Chote joined the protest in downtown Sulphur Springs Sunday afternoon. Courtesy/Desi Pharis
    Dinah and Caden Chote joined the protest in downtown Sulphur Springs Sunday afternoon. Courtesy/Desi Pharis
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Protesters plan to continue sending their message

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Carrying a plastic grocery bag of cold bottled water, an unidentified young white woman said to demonstrators on the plaza in downtown Sulphur Springs, “I’ve seen you out here a couple of times and just wanted to bring you some water. I didn’t know how long you’d be out here.”

The demonstrators started at 11 a.m. Saturday morning after seeing an announcement on Snapchat. The invitation stated that there would be a peaceful protest on the square, and “we will all sit next to each other locking arms with signs saying ‘I can’t breathe.’” It specified that there would be no conflict with anyone and no rioting. “This is about social justice,” the post read.

According to Zachary Dunken of Sulphur Springs about 20 people showed up to give their support with signs that read “Black Lives Matter,” “Stop Killing Us” and “I can’t breathe,” among others.

Those driving and walking by smiled or honked their horns and waved, but Dunken, who is white, said there had been some passers by who didn’t offer their support.

“There’s been people stop, but no one has walked up and said anything bad. There have been people giving us mean looks, shaking their heads,” he said.

“They’re saying, ‘Why today?’” added Meka Franklin, who is black and also of Sulphur Springs. “If it’s not today, then when is it? No day is going to be a perfect time.”

The diverse group who didn’t all know each other before Sunday morning said they were there to show peaceful protest.

“I was going to see my mom today and saw them [protesters] out here,” said Dequavian Person, a black man, of Sulphur Springs. “You can do it [protest] in a peaceful way and still get your point across. Don’t destroy your own city you’re trying to save just to make a point.”

Dunken said that any one is welcome to join the group when they take up their spots on the plaza sidewalk again Saturday.

“Anybody is welcome as long as they aren’t going to start any problems with the police or are trying to riot or anything. It’s just a peaceful protest,” he said.

And they’re not the only group voicing their frustrations about the ongoing treatment of African Americans in the United States and, most recently, the killing of George Floyd.

On Tuesday evening, Brianna Ivery of Sulphur Springs was joined by several others in downtown Sulphur Springs with the same message delivered in a different way.

Ivery said she began Monday evening, even walking from Celebration Plaza down Gilmer and Broadway streets to Walmart, and then making the walk back to the plaza.

What was a group of both black and white women held signs that read, “Everybody Love Everybody,” “One Love,” and “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, we will know peace,” and “We stand united.”

“This is going to progress until further notice,” Ivery said. “It’s going to keep going on.”

Ivery wants more people to show up and walk with her to support the message of “spreading love and peace to all man kind [sic].”

“Love is the key component to true happiness and a safe environment for all,” she said. “We only provide peace and love during this protest to influence others to do the same for our community, for our children, for our world.”