Originally published June 5, 2020 on The Berne Witness.
Thursday afternoon, the city of Decatur closed down Madison St. for a protest regarding the
murder of George Floyd and continuing racism in the U.S.
The protest began at 1:30 p.m. and continued until evening, where a group had gathered to wave signs and chant for change.
Protesters consisted of people of all ages, with one family bringing three generations — Jana
DeBusk, who lives in downtown Decatur, accompanied by her mother, Bobbi, and baby, Rami.
“This is an important issue for every one of us to confront,” Jana DeBusk said. “If there’s any
life not being respected, it is our job to lift up the issue. Then, over time, we can continually
confront this issue and move forward in justice and equality.”
According to protest organizers, education and safety were the utmost priority.
Just outside the Adams County Circuit Court, they had prepared FAQ handouts about Black
Lives Matter (BLM) and directions for how and where to sign petitions or donate money.
Organizers also offered free water, sunscreen and snacks to prevent dehydration or heatstroke in the hot weather. Additionally, all people participating were encouraged to wear masks.
The faces behind the organization of the protest were teenagers Lydia Roop, Kasi Hirn, Nick
Bonifas and Isaac Knudsen. Originally, Bonifas had just wondered if a smaller city like Decatur could hold a peaceful protest, but he was encouraged by his friends and growing interest to see the idea through.
After contacting Mayor Daniel Rickord, plans came together to make space for peaceful
protesting.
“I was excited that these kids had the initiative to plan something like this,” Rickord said. “I
hope people can hear these kids’ voices — I know they’re not protesting our local police, but
they're standing up for a larger issue.”
The organizers also hoped not to disrupt Decatur Thursday farmers’ market and concert, but use the opportunity to start discussions with people downtown.
While the crowd was met largely with support from a chorus of cars honking for BLM, not
everyone was excited to see the protest. At one point, a truck drove past with the U.S.,
Confederate and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags waving from the bed.
Later, two women responded to the “Black lives matter” chants by laughing at protesters and
asking if white lives mattered too.
Father David Ruppert and Seminarian Stephen Horton of St. Mary’s of the Assumption sought to address this kind of ideology head-on.
“I’ve seen a common meme on Facebook that says ‘All Sheep Matter,’ like we talk about the
church as sheep under a shepherd,” Horton said. “But we know that Jesus goes after the one
sheep — even though the whole flock is valuable, one sheep is lost and that is enough for him to go out of his way for it. Just like him, we should advocate for the people that are needing it right now.”
“Our church is pro-life in all interests and justice is essential to the Christian belief,” Ruppert
said.
Overall, the protest remained nonviolent without any excessive use of force. A drone circled
above to watch the crowd and several police officers stood on standby two blocks away in every direction.
“We (were not) worried about our people and their intentions, but for the wrong people that
might show up,” Rickord said. “But we’re covered. We’re safe.”
Looking forward, Bonifas hopes Decatur and surrounding areas take the protest as a launching
point.
“We want to see support and real action that makes life safer for the black community,” Bonifas said. “Just because we’re a small area doesn’t mean we can’t take a stand and use our voices, but also, don’t just listen to us. Listen to the voices of people of color that will share their experiences with racism in America and help our area take the next steps. Don’t let the activism stop at this.”
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