"JUSTICE FOR JAY-JUAN! JUSTICE FOR JAY-JUAN!”
Kennedy Plaza was buzzing all afternoon, as swarms of people gathered to demand Jay’s immediate release.
A 16 year old student at Mt Pleasant, Jay-Juan was assaulted and arrested, without cause, by School Resource Officer Lionel Pichs. To protest to this ongoing injustice, ARISE, PrYSM and SEE called for people to gather at City Hall on February 28th.
And while we’ve always known that Jay is deeply loved, nothing could’ve prepared us for the total outpour of friends, family and allies that showed up to brave yesterday’s cold.
Crowds and crowds of people, coming from all ages, races, and walks of life, took up banners, posters, and bullhorns to show support for Jay-Juan. Children as young as eight came out with their parents to demand justice. Teacher allies showed up with home-made signs. Local businesses came down to offer free food and drinks. It was an awesome display of community resilience, and one that the city cannot ignore.
In an attempt to deter us, they closed the entrances to City Hall. So we adapted. Instead of entering the building as originally planned, the crowds gathered around the Kennedy Plaza monument, where leaders from PrYSM and PSU performed speeches and poems.
The evening ended with protestors forming a wide circle, then growing silent, as a way of showing respect, support, and solidarity for the victims of police abuse. The event was of particular significance to Jay-Juan’s mother, who stood with us, and to Jay-Juan, who – while he remains under house arrest – joined via Facetime call.
To read our coalitional response and list of demands, see here.
