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Group Organizes “Peace March” In Fort Smith

FORT SMITH (KFSM) — People  gathered in Fort Smith for a peaceful Black Lives Matter peaceful protest Wednesday evening (July 13). The protest began at 5:...
FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- People  gathered in Fort Smith for a peaceful Black Lives Matter peaceful protest Wednesday evening (July 13).

The protest began at 5:30 p.m. at the old the Sebastian County Courthouse. Nearly 100 protesters attended the march.

The grouped marched to the Fort Smith Police Department where they entered the community room to hold prayer and discussion.

A coordinator of the event Leora Jackson said the march was an effort to unify the community and to remember Sandra Bland.

"I wanted to do something in honor of Sandra Bland. It was a year since she passed on this date. She was in a sorority with me. She's like a sister. She was in a sorority I'm involved in," Jackson said. "She was pulled over for a turn signal. A simple little thing on July 10, 2015 and three days later they say she committed suicide and we are like, no! Family and friends and sister says no! That can possibly not be right. She was so much of an activist why would she take her own life? So, the reason I wanted to do this  is to make sure we are still seeking justice for Sandra and for other black lives as well."

Another coordinator, Mayra Esquivel, also spoke about the purpose.

"I think  the message we really want to tell everyone is we all are different ethnic groups but we are all one community. But, it is important to realize there is struggles in this certain ethnic group," Esquivel. "We have to understand, maybe we won't ever understand, because I'm not African American  but I recognize the struggle my African American brothers and sisters are going through."

Captain Danny Baker helped lead the march to the Police Department and he said he hopes people learn something from the peaceful protest.

"I hope there are people that walk away with a new perspective, a new realization," Baker said. "Again, we are all in this together."

Protesters say they want change, and Jeremy Nolen said this is how it begins.

"It's time for this to stop. We all just need to learn how to love each other, and to be one race, because that's what we really are," Nolen said.

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There will also be a Black Lives Matter protest in Fayetteville beginning at 7 p.m.

They will be marching from Saint Paul's Episcopal Church to the Fayetteville Police Department.

Group Organizes “Peace March” In Fort Smith

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