The Carl Stokes Brigade, a civil rights organization named after Cleveland鈥檚 first Black mayor, held a rally in Cleveland鈥檚 Collinwood neighborhood Wednesday evening to offer support to those grieving after the killing of Tyre Nichols by Memphis police.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so hurtful to see this continuous problem happen over and over again,鈥� Carl Stokes Brigade President Delores Gray said to crowd of about 40 people.
Gray wanted the rally to get women 鈥� especially mothers 鈥� organized to protest police brutality. Gray鈥檚 only child died in 2019. Although her daughter wasn鈥檛 killed by police, Gray said she relates to RowVaughn Wells, the mother of Tyre Nichols, who can be heard calling out for his mother in the video that captured his brutal beating by five Memphis police officers.
鈥淚 understand how any mother feels that loses a child,鈥� Gray said. 鈥淭o hear your child call out your name and then you can鈥檛 do anything about it, it鈥檚 the most hurtful pain ever.鈥�
Among those speaking at the rally was activist and mother Donna Walker-Brown who chanted the word, 鈥淢omma,鈥� to replicate the cries of Tyre Nichols.
鈥淲hen you hear somebody saying, 鈥楳omma. Momma,鈥� they ain鈥檛 saying it because they鈥檙e playing. They鈥檙e distressed. And when they鈥檙e calling for a momma, they don鈥檛 care whether it鈥檚 their momma or who momma, just show up, momma,鈥� Walker-Brown said.
Gray said the City of Cleveland needs more police reform measures after seeing the video of Tyre Nichols鈥� killing. She particularly wants to see frequent psychological exams for all police officers.
鈥淲hen you see that video and you see the rage that these men have, there鈥檚 something psychological going on. There鈥檚 some sort of mental thing happening,鈥� Gray said.
Gray said that police brutality is an issue that targets Black people, regardless of the race of officers involved. The five officers that beat Nichols to death are all Black.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the power that they are given. It鈥檚 almost like the feel invincible,鈥� Gray said. 鈥淲ith them having that power, they can do whatever they want if they鈥檙e not stable mentally.鈥�
Gray says she鈥檒l deliver a list of police reforms to city officials later this month.
Other local civil rights organizations helped put together the rally in addition to the Carl Stokes Brigade, including Black Women鈥檚 Army and Black On Black Crime Inc., whose headquarters hosted the rally.
