Let’s remember the message behind Sacramento protests. That's what community leaders are telling people after two days of protests in the capital city.The vandalism and looting are one piece of a larger, complex picture, they said. Those demonstrating peacefully are reminding people of the message behind the protests -- to demand justice for George Floyd-- a handcuffed Black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck. Community activists in Sacramento spoke to KCRA 3 about a problem of racial injustice dating back well before COVID-19, which only exacerbated racial inequality during the pandemic.Berry Accius, Voice of the Youth Can we please focus on why we’re here? We’re here because of George Floyd. We’re here because of Breonna Taylor. We’re here because of Ahmaud Arbery.So, when we see what’s happening now -- it’s pretty much rage against the machine. It’s almost like folks have been fed up -- enough is enough. Enough of you marginalizing me, and devaluing me, and if you have a person who has been in quarantine for two months -- have had no activity -- the little things that have kept them together, now you get to see a cycle of murder. I mean, we had at least four or five different Black deaths only in May by itself -- that we know of. And now you’re saying, "Hey, you don’t have no money, you barely can get food, you have to do all these things for school, and I’m supposed to follow these rules? Because of what? You don’t even look at me as a person." So, I really hope folks grasp and understand that this reality that a lot of us live as a person of color -- a Black man, a Black woman, a Black child in America. It is something that has been historically put on us.Do you want to deal with the people saying, "Let’s represent change?" Or do you want to deal with the people that don’t care about any of that? That care about chaos?If we continue to pretend the problem is not the problem, the cancer is not there, and continue to put on the Band-Aid, we will be here again next year, or maybe in a few months.And if you’re bringing your child or any loved one -- please keep them at home. This is not the time or the place, whether it is an afternoon protest or night protest. Especially at nighttime, please don’t bring any of the children. And for the parents: Parents, there is a lot of young people out there. I am going to say this clearly. You need to do better at finding out where your child is at. Your children are going to be in trouble. They are going to be charged to the highest degree. This is a little bit different than "Johnny going to steal bubble gum at Rite Aid." If kids get caught, they’re going to be charged as if they’re the catalyst of everything that’s going on.Please check your child. If your child or teenager is telling you they are going to protest, tell them they can stay home. Then the real work can be done. Because we understand the voice of rage. We get it. But we also want to make sure that we do it in a proper manner. And if you are just creating energy just because you want to create energy, you’re going to pay the full consequences, and we can’t save and help you. I can’t be there to advocate for you if you’re dead wrong. I understand, trust me -- clearly. But I’m saying to parents -- keep your child at home. Ebony Ava Harper, Human Rights ActivistYou know the kids right now, they don’t want to hear peace and all these things. We’re forgetting why they’re angry -- and particularly in communities of despair, Black communities of despair, you’re not seeing any justice.First, we have to be honest before we talk about peace. We have to be honest that we live in a racist society, and the society benefits a few and puts down a lot of people. Not only Black people, Brown people, API people and poor white folks. That’s why you see all these different types of nationalities out in the streets because there is a lot going on right now. And so, if we only hit them with the peace message, that will kind of dilute what’s actually happening. We have to talk about what’s happening before we talk about peace.Sonia Lewis, Liberation Collective for Black SacramentoI want people to remain focused on the fact that the pandemic is just accelerating the fact that all of the issues existed prior to the pandemic, and we’re still in the sense of "I can’t be close to you and you can’t be close to me."People who are the most fragile in the community want to be seen and they want to be heard. They want a seat at the table. They want agency. And so, that’s what protest gives people. Protest gives people an opportunity to have a voice that have been silenced for too long.I think that people need to check their privilege when we talk about looting and when we talk about vandalism. The United States as an entity has been the biggest looter around the world since its inception. So, before you banish or blame or talk to anybody negatively about what looting is -- think about what the repercussions are. Because Black bodies were stolen from Africa for many-a-years and we’re not talking about that. It’s not being taught in the history books the way that it should be, right? When it comes to vandalism, I think there is a fine line to draw. Businesses and homeowners and even car owners, that’s what you have insurance for. So, I don’t feel bad when someone says, "Oh my window was busted out during a protest," right? Because all you are going to do is call your insurance and file an insurance claim. It might impact you in that moment to feel like you were violated, but at the end of the day, George Floyd’s life cannot come back. His family can’t file an insurance claim to bring him back.So, I think people need to check their privilege when they put down vandals and qualify people and quantify them as thugs, vandals and looters. While I am not a looter personally, and I don’t condone just going in and stealing people’s property, I was rooting for people who in that moment felt the power to get something that the "haves" have because they are "have-not." And so, we need to look at how society is very stratified and separated. The "haves" are criticizing the "have-nots." And you’re just mad because the "have-nots" took it for free.I would also just ask that when people are talking about law enforcement and police brutality, that if there were this thing called "good cops," they would say something about bad cops. Because internally, they know who the bad cops are, and they do nothing about it. So, when you say, "I’m a good cop though." My question is, "are you really?"