Students and faculty marched around PCC in support of the Jena 6, six black students charged in the beating of a white student in Jena, Lousiana, on Sept. 20.The march began in the quad and wound its way around campus with about 60 protestors, many carrying signs urging people to “Honk for Jena 6? and shouting slogans like, “support Jena 6? and “no justice no peace.”
“It’s not fair, they should have justice,” said Keith Taylor, 23, a cosmetology major.
The demonstration was in support of six black high school students charged with conspiracy and attempted murder over a fist-fight.
Demonstrators felt that having their voices heard and making the campus aware was important.
“It involves everyone,”said Shanika Aalseth-Battle, 19, journalism major. “You can [make] a small impact.from there to here. “If they see everybody is together on this, I think it helps a lot.”
Douriean Fletcher, an education major said, “Injustice somewhere is injustice everywhere.”
The controversy erupted when a black Jena student sat under a tree that had been traditionally used by white students only. The following day three nooses were hung in the tree.
The Jena 6, as they are known, are facing up to 100 years in prison.
According to Democracy Now in July, “An all-white jury took less than two days to convict 17 year-old Mychal Bell, the first of the Jena 6 to go on trial. He was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy charges and now faces up to 22 years in prison.
- EDITORIAL: Apologize about the real problem - April 23, 2014
- STATEMENT: District apologizes to Oscar winning alum - April 21, 2014
- EDITORIAL: The Forgotten Students - March 26, 2014
