PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Nearly 200 people gathered at Peninsula Park to march against murder Saturday afternoon.
The march started at the park and wound through the streets of Northeast portland, stopping at Woodlawn Park for more speeches.
Organizers said the march was against violence in all forms and the intentional killing of another person as a form of conflict resolution.
The march was lead by community leader Royal Harris and featured speakers from all walks of life, including faith leaders and members of the community impacted by violence or gun violence themselves.
Harris said Black, white or brown, his vision was to bring everyone together as a community with the collective goal to end the violence.
“My greatest hope is that I inspire someone to do their part. There is no one voice that’s going to solve this problem. If we all come at with our individual perspectives, we can make an impact for change,” Harris said.
State Senator Lew Frederick, representing North and Northeast Portland, added that he thinks it’s importance to recognize the problem of gun violence in order to solve it.
“We keep not acknowledging the kind of impact that guns, the incredible number of guns have on our community and our nation. And until we acknowledge that, we aren’t going to get very far. We have people who come in from other places just so that they can show off their guns, their toys, that’s outrageous,” Frederick said.
March participant John Blake said he joined the event to try to stop some of the violence that’s been going on.
“You know, as an elder, just trying to stop and do my part. That’s about it,” he said.
“It’s all about uniting the community, trying to stop the violence that’s all we are,” added another participant in the march, Lateef Lucas.
The marchers went past a memorial set up for a young woman that was shot and killed near Ne Dekum and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd a couple weeks ago. The group stopped and chanted her name, Nae Nae, to remember her. Her mom told KOIN 6 News that she appreciates people paying attention.
The event wrapped up peacefully at Woodlawn Park.
