MIAMI, Fla. – At the Torch of Friendship in Miami, a group called the 305 Black Youth gathered Friday. There was singing, dancing and spoken word poetry – and all to spread the message that black lives matter. Everything went along peacefully as the 17 and 18 year old organizers set out to reach black youth younger than them in Miami-Dade County.
Only 1 protester was arrested after the gathering had ended for not moving from an active lane of traffic when police warned him several times.
All in all, it was a successful event. The teens talked mostly about become mentors since they felt they had to seek out role models when they were growing up.
Amaya Howard, 305 Black Youth, said she was out with the group along Biscayne Boulevard because: “Juneteenth is a day that is supposed to celebrated in the African American community, but because of what’s going on today, we can’t really celebrate freedom because we are not truly free. We are still enslaved in prison systems,” Howard said, while wearing a Defund the Police face mask.
The person that was taken into police custody was told several times by police to move onto the sidewalk and off the roadway After a back and forth of about 30 minutes, police arrested him.
About two dozen people remained lined up along Biscayne Boulevard well into rush hour. Police kept their distance and the group stayed on the sidewalk with signs, chanting as cars drove by.