MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
The Memphis chapter of the NAACP is calling on protesters and the general public to respect the 10 PM curfew imposed by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.
Monday afternoon the NAACP and church leaders held what they called "a caravan of peace and justice."
From the Mt. Olive Cathedral CME Church downtown, dozens of cars in the caravan took off, rolling past Memphis City Hall and then over to the National Civil Rights Museum. Presiding Bishop Henry Williamson put out a call to action. He is urging people to peacefully protest but said be in by 10 p.m. to avoid any rioters or looters that may be out. The leaders are concerned Memphis will be targeted for violence, like many cities across the country.
"We need to be in so they can be arrested. We don't need a car or a person on the street because they plan to do it," said Bishop Williamson.
"Protest and fight and do what's right but make sure you are not being taken away with the other disturbances and the other things going on, " said Van Turner, NAACP President Memphis Chapter.
One teen speaker at Monday's event summed what is happening up this way.
"We are in a pandemic of police brutality. We are in a pandemic of white supremacy. We are in a pandemic of racism," said Cameron Kuykindall.
And protesting racism, they say, will be more effective if it can help change policies and protect people peacefully.