Black Lives Matter rally held in Marina

MARINA, Calif. (KION) A Black Lives Matter rally is being held in Marina in light of recent officer-involved shootings and other events.

The organizers hope to raise awareness regarding the deaths of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Breonna Taylor, Vanessa Guillen, and more.

Local activists like Nathaniel Sawyer believve that demonstrations are essential to have city officials and the public pay attention to the needs of the BIPOC community in Marina.

They marched through the streets of Marina to make sure their voices were heard and that officials listen.

"They have to do something, we need help, we need policy change now, every city, every county and our country needs it," says Sawyer.

Sawyer says that change can only happen if people are proactive.

"People have been waiting for someone to come, a messiah to come, another Martin Luther King, another Malcolm X or whoever to come, well you could be that person," says Sawyer.

Some of the protestors there are from Minneapolis and feel that there is no other time to demand change than the present.

"This is the time for people to be speaking up and to not just sit back silently," says Angie Sonrode.

Sawyer says the police chief of Marina has been supportive of their efforts. Sawyer wants Marina to be an example for other cities.

"That's what I love about Marina is that they're willing to change," says Sawyer.

The mayor of Marina says that the city will be creating a proclamation condemning hateful acts towards BIPOC but the details will need to be hashed out.