SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Thousands of people from San Francisco, the greater Bay Area and beyond flocked to the city’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday to march against police brutality, demanding that systemic racism be put to an end.
Like the massive demonstration in the city’s Mission District on Wednesday, it was a grassroots event organized by a 17-year-old girl. With some help from her friends, Tiana Day planned the march in just a couple of days.
“It’s really important that the youth today reaches out because we know we are the generation that will bring change and we will be able to conquer racism,” Day said.
She lives in the affluent East Bay suburb of San Ramon and just graduated from Dougherty Valley High School. Her father grew up in Richmond, California, a markedly less affluent town 35 miles to the northwest.
“He grew up in a completely different environment and being able to see how his struggles have led him to where I am, I just want to be able advocate for the same type of people and be good leader and a good example,” Day said.
Holding a march on the Golden Gate Bridge, she added, “is everything."
"This is a huge landmark in California," said Day. "For a lot of the people in the community it’s a great place to meet and all march together for a great cause.”
What started as a few dozen people gathered at the Welcome Center quickly grew exponentially. Standing atop the pedestal that supports a statue honoring chief bridge engineer Joseph Strauss, Day addressed the throng through a megaphone.
"I have no choice but to use my voice and stand up for black kids in this country to get the same opportunities and chances at success as a white kid does," she said. "Young black kids lose parents, friends, and siblings to police brutality. They are scared, they are hurting and they are scarred.
“What is happening in society today is wrong. We know the justice system is flawed. We know racism still exists today after 400 years of oppression. And we know that this is the generation that will fix this together.”
Her father, Tiayadi Day, also spoke. “This is not an anti-police movement,” he said. "The police department has helped us and served us every single day they put their lives on the line for us. We’re not against the police department. We are against the 2, 3, maybe 5% that feel that they can victimize people and get away with it.
“If you kill someone, you’re held accountable for your actions. And if you’re a police officer and you kill someone who is unarmed and not a danger to anyone else, there is no reason why you should not be held accountable for your actions. That’s the reason we’re here. We’re here to change the laws. We’re here to change the status quo.”
Day, a graduate of San Jose State, wore a T-shirt honoring Tommie Smith, a black athlete from San Jose State who won a gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. His black power salute with John Carlos, another black Olympian from San Jose State, was a symbolic and powerful moment in black history.
"John Carlos and Tommy Smith brought a new culture and a new understanding of the Black Panther movement.” Day said. "The Black Panther movement is not an anti-white movement, it’s a power to the people movement. You don’t have the strength that you have until you come together as one."
He raised his fist in the same salute.