For more than five hours Sunday night a peaceful protest shut down the Hernando DeSoto Bridge over the Mississippi River.
No one was injured or arrested during the protest which lasted until around midnight.
The need to make their voices heard continued today for the Black Lives Matter movement during a tense meeting with the mayor and interim police director.
The meeting gave activists a chance to speak their minds and share their demands.
Here are the one Memphis demands:
- Hire Mike Rallings as police director immediately.
- Get more funding for African American businesses from public works.
- Get more funding for Community Youth Empowerment programs.
- Provide sensitivity training for police officers.
It was the police director demand and the mayor’s response that caused the most outrage.
Mr. Mayor, halt your search for the next Memphis police director. That was the demand of one Memphis, a coalition of activist groups. Like many Memphians, they are convinced Interim Police Director Mike Rallings is the man for the job. But the mayor said not today.
It was a hero’s welcome for Rallings at Greater Imani Church Monday evening.
A show of appreciation for his contribution to keeping the peace while thousands marched through Memphis, eventually blocking and shutting down the I-40 bridge in both directions for hours Sunday night.
1,100 people crammed into the church for Monday’s public forum. The very first order of business for One Memphis, a coalition of activist groups, was a demand to Mayor Jim Strickland.
“The committee demands the immediate and official hiring of Michael Rallings as director of police of Memphis, Tennessee,” said march organizer and minister Dante Hill.
The mayor then responded with how impressed he’s been with Rallings for years and that he’s asked Rallings to apply.
“I hear what you’re saying, but that decision will not be made tonight, uh, number two, public works,” said Strickland.
“Before you go to the next point, without interrupting. With all due respect, the people want to know why that decision? An understanding of why that decision, so nobody leaves with any questions,” said Hill.
“Sure, I’m doing what I promised to do during the campaign. I run on a promise and I carry out that promise. My promise was that I would do a search. I would pick the very best person for that position. When that search was done I (audience interrupts). I don’t even know who the other candidates are yet (audience interrupts).”
But the audience was clear. The only candidate they see for the job is Rallings.
Joseph Kyles, grandson of civil rights icon Billy Kyles, participated on the panel today.
“I think overwhelmingly most citizens in this city right now want to see that director promoted,” said Kyles.
Many said they would be relentless until Rallings is named.
“Some left and said they’re going back to the bridge, and if they do go back to the bridge, I will be down there as well,” said Victor Tate.
Rallings later addressed the crowd and explained that Mayor Strickland has asked him to apply. He also explained that being the chief is a hard job, especially for a man who was looking to retire soon.
City officials weren’t the only ones targeted to make a change. Activists asked the community to join the push for thirty days no killing.
This is in reaction to the record pace of homicides in Memphis so far this year.
“This is for the streets, this is for everybody. 30 days of no killing. We, y’all should have stood up for that. 30 days of no killing. We can make all of the demands that we want on the people sitting here in front of us, but we also have to make demands on each other, on our friends and our families to say now is the time to stop the killing,” said Rev. Radontae Ashford.
