Protesters lie on the road in memory of George Floyd during an impromptu protest outside the Tucson Police Department at 270 S Stone Avenue, on June 3, 2020.

 Josh Galemore / Arizona Daily Star

Nearly 2,000 people gathered in front of Old Main at the University of Arizona Wednesday for a rally against police brutality, following the arrest and death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.

Many attendees also participated in a separate march and protest in Downtown Tucson following the rally, ending the night with a civil, face-to-face conversation with Tucson Police officers.

The rally, hosted by March for Justice Tucson, was one of several demonstrations around the country to attract large crowds in the last week, including protests in Downtown Tucson over the weekend and a vigil at Dunbar Pavilion Monday.

Starting at 4 p.m., several community members spoke to a crowd of mostly young adults, discussing their own experiences with racism and urging attendees to take action against violence toward Black Americans. Attendees held up signs that said “Say Their Names,” “Cancel Racism,” “Color is Not a Crime,” and “White Silence is Violence.”

Mariah Barnette, a senior at the UA, spoke about the disproportionate rates of punishment for members of the black community. Other speakers called on community members to vote in both local and national elections this year.

Supporters listen to speaker Grant Knox during March for Justice Tucson's peaceful Rally Against Police Brutality in front of Old Main at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz. on June 3, 2020. Roughly 1,800 arrived at the University of Arizona to listen to speakers talk about race and their experiences in America.

“It is no coincidence that black people are targeted and incarcerated at a rate five times higher than their white counterparts. It is no coincidence that black people are impacted at a much higher rate by police brutality,” Barnette said. “And it is certainly no coincidence that black people are murdered at a significantly higher rate than anyone by police brutality.”

Another speaker, 15-year-old Janel Drummer, said the first time she experienced racism was at six-years old in a Tucson ice-cream shop. She went on to say that racism follows her in all aspects of her life, including in school where she said she’s been made fun of for the color of her skin, called racial slurs and punished without cause on multiple occasions.

Grant Knox, a graduate student at the UA, spoke about his experiences as a black man in higher education and said for a long time he felt he needed to leave his culture behind in order to pursue a successful career in academia.

“Our blackness is no longer a threat once we are found to be educated, civil and are wealthy. Actually, not. Our blackness is no longer a threat once we are found to be subservient,” he said. “I’m sick of existing in a space in academia where my thoughts, my research and my abilities are only validated so long as I fit the mold.”

Attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild of Southern Arizona were also present and spoke about the rights of protesters and how they could be protected in altercations with police officers.

There were several University of Arizona Police officers posted in buildings and the surrounding area, but there were no altercations between attendees and the officers. Organizers said multiple times throughout the event that it was a “peaceful and healing space.”

“This is the way rallys should be. This was wonderful,” said UAPD Chief Brian Seastone.

Protesters laid in the road for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in symbolic protest of the death of George Floyd.

Following the rally, about 100 people also gathered Downtown in front of the Tucson Police Department. March for Justice Tucson, the organizers of the rally, said in a statement on Facebook that they were not associated with the protest.

TPD officers had all sides of the police station flanked as protesters arrived. Officers were not wearing tactical gear and did not have weapons in hand, which was different from protests over the weekend that resulted in at least $200,000 in property damage and 19 arrests.

Upon their arrival, protesters laid in the street in front of the police station for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in symbolic protest of the death of George Floyd. Protesters continued chanting the names of other black people who have been killed by police officers, including Phoenix man Dion Johnson who was shot by a Department of Public Safety trooper.

With an 8 p.m. curfew in place throughout the state, many protesters began to leave. Those that stayed, however, engaged in face-to-face conversation with officers who came down to speak with them.

Officers take a knee with protesters outside Tucson Police Department at 270 S Stone Avenue, on June 3, 2020. The act was appreciated by some in the crowd.

Protesters spoke with officers about the department’s protocols, ways they could be more inclusive and earn trust from the black community in Tucson. TPD Assistant Chief Kevin Hall told the protesters that he was interested in conducting an equity assessment within the department and working to help change policies.

“That’s how you change systems,” he said. “Don’t let this go away.”

One protester, Chelsi Austin, said she was pleasantly surprised with the interaction and is hoping that this leads to future conversations and change.

“I feel like it was extremely beneficial because a lot of people are angry. I’m angry. I’m sad. I’m upset. But without that conversation happening, my anger goes nowhere. My sadness stays within me,” she said. “When you have that conversation and you try and talk about how we move forward, then you can feel some sort of hope that there will be some resolve.”

One protester said, “More conversations and opportunities like this are what going to create understanding and create change.”

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Arizona Daily Star reporter Curt Prendergast contributed to this story.