‘Justice for Emmett Till’ demonstration held in Bowling Green
Group gathers near last known location of Till’s accuser, Carolyn Bryant Donham, and at the Justice Center downtown
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A demonstration began Saturday morning as groups called for ‘Justice for Emmett Till’, the 14-year-old boy abducted, tortured, and lynched in Mississippi in the 1950s.
A woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, accused Till of whistling at her, and more than 60 years later, Donham’s last location was tracked to Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Demonstrations were held at the Warren County Justice Center, on Center Street in Downtown Bowling Green and near Donham’s alleged home on Shive Lane.
Security blocked access to the apartment complex where Donham is believed to be living.
Security on scene told WBKO News that only law enforcement and those living in the complex can access the property.
The group started small but increased in size as the afternoon progressed. They rallied near the apartment complex, marched across Scottsville Road, and gathered in the Kroger grocery store parking lot.
One group began by gathering in a business parking lot near Shive Lane, where officers met them, advising them where they could set up for their protest.
One person was arrested during the setup for outstanding warrants.
According to the BGPD, Najee Muhammad had Ohio warrants for aggravated battery on police, firefighter or EMT, resisting arrest, assault, burglary, theft, aggravated theft, using sham legal mis/process and tampering with records.
“I see they have the whole police force out here to protect Carolyn Bryant,” one of the leaders said on a loudspeaker shortly after the arrest. “They got a whole army out here, damn it.”
“We don’t want her here,” said a woman on the microphone from Bowling Green. “We want her to be held accountable for what she did.”
The protesters gathered just outside the property of the complex, urging a Mississippi court to order the arrest of Donham, and say they will not stop fighting until justice is served.
“We are going to keep putting pressure on Carolyn Bryant (Donham), from the cradle until she is in her grave,” said Nasiy Nasir X, President of Lion of Judah Armed Forces out of Minnesota, “I said pressure. We have got to keep the pressure. This is not it. The fight is going to continue to keep going.”
One of the protest organizers said, despite Dunham’s age and declining health, she should still be arrested for her involvement in Till’s death. He also says until she is arrested, there will be no peace.
“As a man or woman soweth, then shall she also reap. Where there is no justice, there can be no peace,” said Malik Zulu Shabazz, attorney with civil rights organization, True Healing Under God. “Where there has been no justice, there will be no peace in the life of Carolyn Bryant (Donham). We have God’s word on that.”
After a few speeches, the group marched back toward Shive Lane, where Till’s cousin Priscilla Sterling spoke to the crowd.
“The focus here today is about justice. It is about America. The laws are not pertaining to white people like they are to black people. It is a double standard here when it comes to the laws here in the United States,” said Sterling.
(CLIP IS BELOW)
Organizers said that federal lawsuits have been filed in serving the warrant against Donham, and that protesters began leaving the scene near Shive Lane Saturday afternoon.
No other arrests were reported as of Saturday night.
(MORE PHOTOS AND VIDEO BELOW)
Copyright 2022 WBKO. All rights reserved.
