PINE BLUFF -- At least 300 people turned out for a rally, held under the watchful eye of the Pine Bluff Police Department, on the steps of the Pine Bluff Civic Center near downtown Pine Bluff on Thursday evening.
Called the Solidarity Rally by organizers, it was put together to protest the May 25 death of George Floyd. Four Minneapolis police officers have been charged in Floyd's death.
Due to concerns about coronavirus, the rally in Pine Bluff was different than rallies in other parts of Arkansas. It was broadcast live by Deltaplex Radio in Pine Bluff, and protesters remained inside their cars, which filled the Civic Center parking lot and the street beside it, listening to the broadcast and honking their applause.
Kymara Seals, policy director for the nonprofit Arkansas Public Policy Panel and one of the main organizers of the rally, said part of the goal of the gathering was to direct the anger that people feel over Floyd's death in positive directions to effect systemic changes.
"We chose to use the term rally instead of protest because in this current environment the word protest is supercharged," Seals said. "We didn't want to send the wrong message in our community and we wanted a peaceful rally because we are adamant about standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across the nation who are fighting for social justice and equity and we are joining the national outcry for justice for George Floyd."
Speakers at the rally -- including Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington, Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, Rep. Vivian Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, Civil Rights attorney Furonda Brasfield, and Pine Bluff Police Chief Kelvin Sergeant ---- urged attendees to involve themselves in the political process by speaking out, by educating themselves about political candidates and by voting.
Each speakers' remarks were punctuated by a cacophony of automobile horns honking their approval.
Thursday's rally was the first such event held in Pine Bluff since the death of Floyd.
Greg Gustek, the city treasurer, arrived just before the rally began.
"I just got my paper in the mail and opened it up and saw the notice about this," he said. "I hadn't heard anything about it before, and I'm not really dressed for it but I wanted to show my support, so I just came like I am."
As he surveyed the crowd, Gustek, a native of Pine Bluff and lifelong resident, broke out into a smile.
"Pine Bluff is going to show people how to have a good rally as we honor the memory of Mr. Floyd," he said. "Pine Bluff has really turned out for this."
City Council Member Joni Alexander said she was pleased to see so many people at the rally but said she was disappointed to not see more young people there.
"There's not a lot of younger people, or my generation, millennials out here, and that's one of my biggest hangups is that we're not civically engaged," Alexander said. "But it's also good to see an older crowd out here because a lot of the protests going on around the country have been younger people. I guess it's a good indication of who is the most politically active in Pine Bluff."