Protest in downtown Wichita Falls began as peaceful, passionate

Filling Park Central in downtown Wichita Falls Monday hundreds of people protested the recent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody.

Floyd's death sparked protests across the nation.

In Wichita Falls protesters and organizers focused on keeping the event peaceful while allowing people to share their experiences, anger and frustration.

Many held signs that said things like, "Is silence not a form of violence," “Demilitarize the police,” "I can't breathe," “Same sh**, different century" and several that listed the names of those killed by police.

Atzhiri Acosta and Nanette Trotman hung large banners with the names of people like Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many more that have been killed.

"We can stay here and protest things all the time, but you have to remember the people that have actually lost their lives and families," Acosta said.

More: WFPD plans for the worst and hopes for the best at downtown protest Monday

More: ‘Peaceful’ protest in Wichita Falls set for Monday

"There is a war in America on race and that's something that we need to come together and try to bash out. Four hundred years of slavery and we are still protesting violence against African Americans," Trotman said.

In the center of the park, surrounded by protesters, Trina Robinson took the megaphone to talk about her hurt and her experiences.

She said she can't understand why when her 15-year-old son leaves the house he has a different standard of rules.

When her daughter was five she had a gun pointed at her during a raid in the housing authority.

"They could have let the residents who were not involved in that know, don't have your children outside," Robinson said. "She's 30, a mother and a wife and she still hasn't gotten over it."

Anyone who wanted had a chance to speak to the several hundred strong crowd that continued to fill Park Central, the grassy area at the corner of Eighth and Scott streets.

Wichita Falls Police Chief Manuel Borrego and Mayor Stephen Santellana took turns addressing the crowd.

"It's a good feeling because it's not just Wichitans coming together but it's Wichitans of every race, creed, color, age, and socioeconomic status trying to show support for somebody that is not even a Wichitan. It's good to see that it's a lot of positivity coming out of this," Santellana said.

Robinson said it's important that it's such a mixture of diverse people.

"When we say black lives matter, we don't mean that no one else matters. We are saying that black lives matter because we are being slaughtered constantly," she said. "All other cops involved took part and if you're going to police you have to be able to police your partners. Right?"

She said the protesters were there to stand for their family, his family and all the men and women who have been lost.

A member of the Air Force stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base tole the Times Record New he wanted to attend but couldn't.

Commanders, he said, didn't want them in mass gatherings because of the coronavirus.