Smaller protests in Tallahassee as officials tell protesters 'we're listening'

As youth continued to protest in downtown Tallahassee Monday morning in smaller numbers, faith leaders, city officials and law enforcement commended their peaceful protesting and called for justice at a press conference outside Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

Drawing on Christian, Jewish and Muslim scriptures, they all bowed their heads in prayer, pleading for healing the hurt plaguing the nation and the city.

Last week, Malik Jackson, 21, died after he was stabbed outside his mom’s apartment on Saxon Street. The suspect, NaTosha “Tony” McDade, fled the scene but was shot and killed by an officer after allegedly pointing a gun at him.

More:'Fear for his safety': Tallahassee Police union seeks to shield name of officer in McDade shooting

More:Tallahassee police release name of person shot and killed by an officer after stabbing

In the wake of McDade's death, Black Lives Matter protesters flooded the streets over the weekend, demanding footage be released from the incident and an end to what they call excessive force. They chanted McDade's name and other black lives lost recently, including George Floyd, a Minnesota man who died after an officer held him down with his knee to Floyd's neck.

“We’re listening," Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox said about the protesters' concerns. "We want to get it right. They are the legacy. We need to pass the torch to them."

A mother of three black sons and three black grandsons, a passionate Williams-Cox shared her own grief: Her oldest son recently posted on Facebook, “Am I next?”

“When I read those words, this mama,” Williams-Cox said, “this mama responded quickly and swiftly: No, you are not. Over my dead body, no you are not. And none of our children will continue to suffer this.”

She urged those involved in local protests to give officials a “chance to get it right.”

For the third day, protesters gathered in front of the Old Capitol Monday, though the crowds were much smaller. About 50 people, many wearing masks and waving signs, shut down the road while kneeling at the intersection of Monroe Street and Apalachee Parkway for three minutes – a minute for each of the three local men killed in officer involved shootings this year.

More:What we know about every officer-involved shooting in Tallahassee so far this year

"Take your knee off my back," they chanted, with hands interlaced behind their heads.

Police officials have said the shootings were justified, and in each case the person shot was either an armed suspect or “violently resisted."

The protests continued for a few hours before the crowds dispersed.

The smaller crowds Monday afternoon were in stark contrast to the large groups Saturday and Sunday that marched through the center of closed downtown streets in mostly peaceful protests.

A weekend of protests:

• Peaceful Tallahassee protests marred after truck hits demonstrators; no serious injuries
• Protests in Tallahassee persist as protesters seek answers from police chief, state attorney

TPD officials said they were not aware of any arrests related to protests besides one by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Saturday outside the Governor’s Mansion.

Drew Bennett, a 24-year-old from Tallahassee, was charged with criminal mischief and trespassing when he jumped the fence at the mansion during Saturday’s protests.

Police officials were also unable to quantify any damage done over the weekend. However, several windows of downtown banks were broken at some point.

TPD is also still investigating an incident Saturday in which a truck drove into a crowd of people downtown. The driver of the truck was detained for questioning, but a TPD spokesman said the case is still an active investigation, and no arrests had been made.

Back at Bethel, Deputy City Manager Cynthia Barber echoed Williams-Cox about her experience mothering black children. She looked at her grandson earlier this week “with sorrow” in her eyes.

“That’s not what a grandson needs to see in his grandmother,” she said. “He needs to see hope. He needs to see vision… My heart hurts like America’s heart hurts right now. One day, I don’t want that to happen.”

Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell, Mayor John Dailey and State Attorney Jack Campbell also spoke at the gathering.

Revell said he supports the protests that occurred throughout the weekend into this week and called Sunday’s meeting with protesters a “tremendous conversation.”

“Those types of tough conversations have to occur. The passions and the anger that is there are real and those have to be heard and then action has to be taken on those… These are issues we can’t keep kicking down the road," he said.

More:Tallahassee law enforcement leaders, protesters talk 'concessions' during negotiations

One of the protest organizers, 21-year-old Jesula Jeannot, was at the meeting. She said she will continue to hold the officials' power accountable.

“I feel like there is so much that they have power to do, they just refuse to, but one thing for sure: We will not stop,” she told the Democrat. “When we chant 'enough is enough' we meant it. We will not be silent. They will do their jobs and we will hold them accountable.”