Hundreds of protesters, in a march sparked by a 15-year-old, joined in solidarity to protest the death of 46-year-old Minnesota man George Floyd in Northampton on Monday.
The protest saw windows smashed and tires deflated outside of the Northampton Police Department before tensions were relieved when Northampton Police Chief Jody D. Kasper met with protesters, and in a show of unity, took a knee with the hundreds that had descended upon and surrounded the station.
The official protest, the NohoMarch was organized by 15-year-old, Angelina Miller. She posted on her social media for people to meet on Sheldon Field at 2 p.m. and walk to the Northampton police station at 29 Center St. to show solidarity for George Floyd and voice their concerns over police brutality.
The official protest, the NohoMarch was organized by 15-year-old, Angelina Miller. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
“I wanted to organize this because police brutality and racism has affected my life on a day-to-day basis because I’m a person of color,” said Miller. “And also, I felt like I needed to organize something in my community because I noticed in other towns, they were protests but not in Northampton. I wanted my community to feel empowered and anyone who wanted to speak up and change and bring awareness to be able to do that.”
She wasn’t expecting to spark a large protest, but estimates of the crowd ranged from several hundred to over 1,000.
As the protesters walked from the starting point chants were sung and the atmosphere seemed relaxed. Some of the individuals marching told MassLive that they had experienced racism and wanted to attend to unite among others that have had the same experiences.
After the official NohoMarch, protesters lap the center of Northampton chanting "No justice, no peace." (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
Once the growing crowd arrived at the station Miller spoke to the crowd and asked for a moment of silence out of respect for Floyd and others that have fallen victim to similar experiences.
That was where the march was supposed to end. However, smaller groups broke off, seemingly excited about the moment and wanting to circle the streets around the police station shouting slogans like, “no peace, no justice,” and “I can’t breathe,” the infamous last words of Floyd before he passed.
Floyd, a 46-year-old man, died May 25 after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck while he was in handcuffs for over eight minutes during his arrest, constricting his breathing and eventually causing him to be unresponsive. In video captured by witnesses, Floyd is heard pleading that he is struggling to breathe and in severe pain, as Chauvin remained with his knee on his neck.
A single cruiser parked opposite the First Churches at 129 Main St. drew the attention of the irked crowd and as it tried to pull away, was bombarded with bottles of water.
This enthused the crowd and the chanting became louder and more focused against the police.
Protesters started to throw bottles of water and bang on the side of the Northampton police car with a skateboard opposite the First Churches at 129 Main St. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
After making a couple of laps around the center of Northampton, the crowd turned and headed back to the police station on at 29 Center St. they were met by a line of police officers with helmets and batons.
The sight of the officers in this attire, visually and audibly heightened the crowd to anger. Members of the protesting group asked the police to join them in taking a knee as a sign of respect and solidarity. The officers stood watching in silence.
Soon one of the senior police officers came out to instruct waiting authorities to move back into the station. As they withdrew, they were closely followed by the angry crowd. Bottles of water were once again thrown as they walked to the entrance of the building.
Once the last police officer was inside, the protesters tried to stop the door from shutting and as a result pepper spray fired out into the group holding the door open.
When the protesters arrive back at Northampton police station they are greeted by a line of police officers wearing helmets and holding batons. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
Members of the crowd had come prepared for the possibility of this and had water and milk to douse in people's eyes to counteract the sting of the pepper spray.
The only open entrance now was down a ramp into the parking garage where Grace Coates took to the microphone and spoke to the gathered crowd.
After a long stand-off with the Northampton police, Captain Robert J. Powers came to deescalate the gathering and spoke to Coates.
As protesters try and gain access to the Northampton police station, officers use pepper spray to stop the crowd holding the door open. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
Coates and others in the crowd asked if Powers would take a knee with them. He, however, said he couldn’t.
The feeling among the protesters again seemed to spike after this loss and tension started to build with the shouts and chants grew louder.
At that moment, Northampton Chief of Police Jody Kasper, Massachusetts State Police Major Michael Habel and Northampton police Lieutenant Alan Borowski came out and told the crowd and Coates that they wanted to take a knee with her and the waiting crowd.
Cheers rang out in the crowd and the tension disappeared instantaneously. Protesters slowly started to disperse and return to their homes.
Activist Grace Coates with Northampton Chief of Police Jody Kasper, Massachusetts State Police Major Michael Habel and Northampton police Lieutenant Alan Borowski take a knee with the protesters in the police station parking garage. (Douglas Hook / MassLive)
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