Galesburg Reporter

Following the death of George Floyd, protests have become a common occurrence in cities across America, including in Galesburg. 

More than 200 people gathered in Galesburg on May 30 to protest against racial injustice, including the killing of Floyd in Minneapolis, The Register-Mail reported. The protest was held in the Public Square and was organized by Autumn Culver, who opened the protest with a speech. 

“I’m tired of just sharing,” Culver said, The Register-Mail reported. “This is the only thing I could think to do, get all these people together, and show the Galesburg community that if this happened here, we have each other’s backs. I want to prevent this from happening here.”

Dakota Williams, another organizer of the protest, spoke at the event and said that the injustice could not continue, The Register-Mail reported. He led the crowd of protestors in chanting the names of the people of color who have unfairly died at the hands of law enforcement.

While the crowd chanted and held signs, Culver was actively working with demonstrators to compile ideas and approaches for helping police relations improve, The Register-Mail reported. Culver said that she is planning on showing her findings to the Police Chief Russ Idle. 

Ahead of the May 30 protest, in response to the death, the Galesburg Police released a statement about Floyd’s death.

“The members of the Galesburg Police Department find the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis deeply disturbing. We collectively believe that all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect," the statement read. "The trust of our community is something that we can never take for granted. Incidents like this, regardless of where they occur, erode the trust that so many honorable men and women have worked very hard to build and cultivate. We will remain committed to maintaining lasting, positive, and trusting relationships within our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of George Floyd.”