Upwards of 150 people marched peacefully in Peoria Heights on Saturday to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, urging central Illinoisans to join a diverse national movement to alleviate racial injustice and work toward a better America.
Organizer Tanisha Cayson, 39, of Peoria Heights led the rally from the Peoria Heights Public Library on Glen Avenue to Village Hall and Tower Park on Prospect Road. Along the way, participants chanted “Black lives matter!” and “No justice, no peace!” Among the marchers was Peoria Heights Mayor Mike Phelan.
“I just could no longer sit back on my Facebook page, argue back and forth with people,” said Cayson, who approached Phelan and Village Administrator and Police Chief Dustin Sutton earlier this month about having the march. “It’s been a long time coming. I am so overwhelmed by the support.”
“Sometimes, we think it takes a lot of people to make change,” Phelan told the assembled crowd. “But one person can impact positively a lot of things. I want to commend Tanisha, one person who organized this entire event and pulled it off just like she said.”
Cayson’s pastor, the Rev. Tyson Parks of Peoria’s Bethel United Methodist Church, encouraged her to step up and to implement her vision.
“We have to bring back love,” Parks said later, seemingly heartened by the “sea of diversity” and the number of “bridge builders” he saw gathered in prayer, reconciliation and camaraderie at Tower Park. “I don’t want to sit up here and vilify all law enforcement because I was part of law enforcement. We need to hold one another accountable. We all are brothers and sisters … There’s one race, and that’s the human race. I need you and you need me. And together, we can make a difference.”
In addition to the mayor, Trustees Brandon Wisenburg and Diane Mariscal also were in attendance at the Tower Park event.
“The message of equality is important,” said Wisenburg, who brought his 5-year-old daughter, Olivia, along. “I don’t think we have a police brutality issue here in the Heights. I do think it exists. It’s important to take a stand against it, and for all of our rights.”
Saturday morning’s march concluded without incident or counter-protest, said Sutton. “Again, I’m just very proud of the people of Peoria Heights,” he said.
“I think we achieved our goal,” added Phelan. “As Americans, we have a right to peacefully protest, that was our expectation, and that’s what happened. I’m glad to work with everyone for peaceful change.”