#BlackLivesMatter in Fresno

Story by Miguel Bibanco
Photos by Jarrett Ramones

FRESNO, Calif., — On Saturday July 9, hundreds of residents gathered to protest police brutality at the intersection of Shaw Blackstone. The march ended at the Clovis police station, more than 6 miles away from where it started. Protesters believed the march was a necessary step in addressing the wrongful deaths of people all over the country. The march specifically addressed local violence, including the death of Dylan Noble and also the highly-publicized deaths of people of color at the hands of police, such as Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and many more. Here are photos from the day.

When asked about her reason for attending the protest Charie Payne said, “We can not survive and thrive if we are being killed by police officers. I’m angry and I’m upset and I refuse to sit here idle and not do anything about it.” Payne attended the protest and addressed the crowd outside the Clovis police department nearing the end of the march.

Commenting on the overwhelming number of young people in attendance, Ricky Dean said, “That makes me happy, that makes my heart sing. They accept others for who they are.” He continued that “it’s a young folks show” and that he looked forward to “cheering them on.”