Peaceful demonstrators speak up on Poplar Bluff streets as nation grapples with violent protests

Poplar Bluff saw two protests over the last few days as part of national unrest over the death of a black man in Minneapolis.

A group congregated outside the Butler County Courthouse Saturday with signs featuring slogans of “Black Lives Matter,” “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “Make racism wrong again.” A separate group stood on Fifth Street near Vine Street Monday with similar signs that said “end police brutality” and “all lives can’t matter until black lives matter.”

Neshia Hill, one of the peaceful protest organizers, said they received a lot of good feedback. There were “some trolls” she said, but nothing major.

Neshia Hill stands with two of the kids who participated in the Saturday protest, holding a "make racism wrong again" sign.Photo provided

“The reason why we put this protest on is first, it isn’t about black versus white,” Hill said. “It’s about us, the human race versus racism.”

Protests across the nation occurred over the weekend in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25 while he was being arrested by police officer Derek Chauvin. According to video of the arrest, Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes while Floyd said he couldn’t breathe, called for his mother and ultimately became unresponsive.

“What really made me want to protest was hearing that man cry out for his mother when she’s nowhere to be found,” said Hill, who has a young black son. “What if that was my son calling out for me and I couldn’t be there to protect him?”

Ceasar Marquez of Malden holds up a BLM sign on Fifth and Vine streets on Monday afternoon in Poplar Bluff.DAR/Barbara Ann Horton

Hill said she fears the possibility that her son could become another statistic of police brutality based on race. She said people of color, including herself, are teaching their kids to call the police when they need to.

“But they’re fearing to call the police because of everything that’s going on in the world today,” she said.

While a large part of rising tensions over race have to do with these incidents that involve the police, Hill said there are other factors and other forms of racism that need to be addressed within society.

Kiki Ellis holds a sign that reads "hands up, don't shoot" during the Saturday afternoon protest outside the Butler County Courthouse.Photo provided

“I do have young kids that are fully black, but I am with a white man,” she said. “We get dirty looks all the time, but I just suck that up and smile. Kill them with kindness; that’s my goal. I don’t have a racist bone in my body. I just want everyone to treat people fairly, no matter what color you are.”

While some protests around the country turned violent and grew into riots, the Poplar Bluff protests remained peaceful with about 15 people holding signs and waving at cars. The Poplar Bluff Police Department did not report any issues from the protest.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson issued to State of Emergency due to civil unrest over the weekend after protests in Ferguson were among those that turned violent. Citizens have the right to peacefully assemble and protest, Parson said, and the state is committed to protecting the lawful exercise of those rights.

“I don’t agree with tearing up your town to get a message across. I believe in a peaceful protest to get your message across,” Hill said. “If you have to go to your town’s city hall, sit in on meetings and tell them how you feel. We need more than just blacks and whites out here protesting. We need to come together. I will feel good if some of the police officers pitched in and came out there and protest. I would love that. I would love to see that. To show these young kids out here that they’re not alone. We do protect them and serve. Not all cops are bad cops, there are good cops ... I just want everyone to be treated equally and, to me, that’s not happening.”

Hill said she encourages people to educate themselves on things they want to know about other cultures and ethnicities by either looking things up online or talking to somebody who is part of that group.

“I want to know things about the white culture ... Caucasian, Mexican, whatever,” she said. “I want to know different things about different cultures. I look it up if I really want to know. I don’t just be out here assuming things or thinking that I know everything because I don’t.”