Angelina Zokego
Template:TOCnestleft Angelina Zokego
OneFargo Rally
For the first time, local protest organizers revealed a list of demands they made to Fargo-Moorhead mayors and police during a peaceful event on Friday, June 5 2020, that followed a week of protest, riot and threats.
Jamaal Abegaz, a member of the Red River Valley Democratic Socialists of America, read the list aloud as a crowd of more than 1,000 people cheered in Island Park in Fargo.
The demands included:
Mayors Tim Mahoney of Fargo and Johnathan Judd of Moorhead were to publicly call for the arrests of the three Minneapolis police officers who stood by during the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody (The three were jailed Wednesday, June 3).
- The creation of local police oversight boards with no law enforcement on the boards.
- Equal representation on all local city boards to reflect the area's diversity, including health, education and public safety boards.
- Increased education of police officers through mandatory cultural diversity training.
- Improved psychological examinations of police officers.*
- For the cities of Fargo and Moorhead to actively help new Americans find needed resources.
- End police use of tear gas, rubber bullets, less-than-lethal rounds to “terrorize protesters;” and instead to use nonviolent deactivation tactics and tactics that respect the public’s right to protest, including those who use civil disobedience to get arrested.
- Stop surveilling activists in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
“This is only a first step” toward ending racism, Abegaz said. “This list is a working list and the beginning of a relationship with elected officials.”
Many people held up flowers, and took a knee when asked by organizers. People sang. Native Americans smudged a line of people as Rep. Ruth Anna Buffalo, D-Fargo, and others, spoke about the fight for equality.
“Is this really going to happen?” said organizer Ritchell Aboah, who is running for Fargo City Commission. “Now it’s up to us to hold our elected officials accountable for this change.”
Organizer Joseph Lewis said they’re working on this like a five-year project.
Wess Philome and Angelina Zokego were also involved.[1]