Group gathers at State Capitol to protest police shootings

As similar demonstrations were sweeping the country, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the State Capitol Friday in response to the recent police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana.

Chanting the phrases “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” and “I can’t breathe,” the demonstrators marched twice around the perimeter of the Capitol before holding a moment of silence for Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, as well as the police officers who died during a shooting in Dallas on Thursday.

Before the demonstration began, Occupy the Dream representative Kevin Carter urged that those who did not know how to protest peacefully step aside.

Near the beginning of the rally, protesters were confronted by a lone woman with a sign, who, according to demonstrators, argued that Black Lives Matter is a violent movement..

Sacramento State student Faith Thomas said that it was painful for her to think that they are regarded this way because of race.

“It is sad that there was a generation before us that [already protested] like this, but it’s still a problem,” Thomas said.

At one point during the peaceful protest, tensions flared as a woman shoved a man who seemed to be counter-protesting the rally.

“He really was supporting [the rally], but they were using it in another way,” Carter later said in the man’s defense. “We don’t want divisions of color come into play, because we are all here together: black, white, Asian, Hispanic, we’re all here, Pacific Islander, everybody’s here.”

Protester G. Williams said that the efforts had to go beyond the march, and demonstrators have to vote with both their ballots and their dollars. Williams said there needs to be more black businesses so that black communities could pay for police protection.

“We don’t have the resources to garner that support, so therefore, we’re like low hanging fruit,” Williams said.

Another demonstration circulating on Facebook is scheduled to take place at Crocker Park on Monday at 4 p.m.