Nearly 200 people marched through Downtown Syracuse from Columbus Circle to Syracuse City Hall on Sunday led by members of the faith community. Their message: to restore peace after a night of rioting. A small group of people smashed store windows, the city public safety building and adjacent Onondaga County Courthouse windows.
They want any future rioting to stop, so it doesn't serve as a distraction to the true messages of calls for change after the tragic death of George Floyd in Minnesota. An unidentified faith leader addressed the group to protest peacefully.
"I am tired as being a young man in this country and when I plead out to God that I see my brothers and sisters that can't come together, can't lift one another up, can't encourage one another. And we're going to show the powers that be in this moment that we are going to put aside our differences... and we are going to stand up in what we believe in and that is God is love and we will be love to this community!"
Those thoughts were met with resounding applause. A prayer followed and then participants chanted, "I am not a threat." Pastor Erik Eure told the group that the murder of a human being (George Floyd) by another human being is far too much to endure in 2020. He says the only way to go forward is to act constructively and not destructively.
"It doesn't matter what organization we're from, who I am really. I'm just another faith leader. What the significance is we don't support violence, destruction of property and things that are not positive because we lose the message."
Pastor Eure continued, "What's important is, all of you are here, it's beautiful to see you in a diversity, from all walks of life, all economic statuses. You're here because another human being was put in crisis by another human being. We want to see change to that, that's great. Let's focus on that."
Eure went on to say that his focus as a pastor is setting the right tone that is to be nonviolent during these difficult times. He says people are already being heard, so there's no reason to deface property or other illegal means to be effective in getting their messages across. The pastor added, "Let's keep the world watching. We need change." The group responded with, "Let's be the change in the world around us."
He supports the curfew initially put into place by Mayor Ben Walsh that begins tonight at 8 PM to 7 AM - to ensure order is restored, until further notice. County Executive Ryan McMahon expanded that curfew county-wide by issuing an emergency declaration. Afterwards, participants marched from City Hall to the Syracuse Public safety building.
They went past Onondaga County Sheriff's headquarters where officers were busy proactively boarding up windows following last night's incidents nearby.
Amid the protests, a local tragedy to report. Syracuse Police released the name of the 19 year-old boy who was shot in the head early overnight Sunday in the 500 block of South Geddes Street. His name is Zachary Holloway. They are treating the case as a homicide and are asking for any information by calling (315) 442-5222.
