With chants of Black Lives Matter, hundreds of people gathered at the Boys and Girls Club in Marshfield for the vigil for George Floyd. In addition, the vigil was held to bring people together against systemic racism.
Sabrina Holland, 19, from Marshfield came up with the idea for the event. She says it’s an opportunity to learn, reflect, and mourn.
“It’s that kind of concrete change, it’s not enough to be not racist,” said Holland. “We need to be anti-racist, anti-police brutality, anti-discrimination.”
Holland is hoping to start a broader conversation on racism in town, with hopes that it would be held at the High School.
“An intersectional group is the best group. That’s why we wanted to make some space for some older folks to sit, for younger people to sit, to have a diverse group overall. Not just in races, but in sexualities, and socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Holland. “It was definitely a diverse group and that’s what we were aiming for, because everyone deserves a seat at the table.”
Reverend Noble Scheepers from the Trinity Church in Marshfield says he was injured by police brutality when he lived in South Africa.
“We are here because we protest against the wonton, unnecessary use of violence by police who break the laws they are entrusted to uphold, and assault protesters of whatever race, who declare that Black lives matter,” said Scheepers.
The vigil kept a peaceful tone. Matthew Fitch of Hingham walked around offering supplies for people to make signs.
“This is amazing for me to see, this amount of people coming out in a predominantly white town. People who’ve lived here their whole lives aren’t used to seeing this,” said Fitch. “I think it’s important that they do see this and that they understand other people’s struggles that they’re going through, and not just what happens in their own bubbles.”
Participants took a knee in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd, after he was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis.
Marshfield resident Sabrina Holland was one of the organizers of the vigil. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
Participants kneeling in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd. Photo credit: Lenny Rowe.
