Amidst calls for a an independent probe into the police shooting death of Caribbean American teen, Kimani Gray, a group of youth are set to march over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York to demand an end to violence.
More than 3,000 youth and young adults from the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Brooklyn community are slated to participate in a compassion rally and march across the landmark Brooklyn Bridge this Saturday, March 23rd.
“Scores of youth and young adults in our local communities are killed in senseless acts of gun violence,” the group organizing the march, the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, said in a statement. “We are marching for change. Change the statistics! Change the trend! No more violence! It’s time for Compassion.”
The anti-violence march is set to get underway from 3 p.m. It will begin at Cadman Plaza and marchers will also march to Foley Square in Manhattan.
Several public officials have been invited to participate, the group said, including, NYC Public Advocate and NYC mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, 9th Congressional District Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, 8th Congressional District Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and regional Health Administrator with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Michelle S. Davis.
The march comes on the heels of the March 9th shooting to death by two police officer of Gray. His mother, Jamaican immigrant, Carol Gray, said Wednesday evening that she and her family are not pleased with the investigation and want an independent probe.
A Facebook page, titled Justice for Kimani Gray, have also been launched and currently has close to 2,000 followers.
