SHREVEPORT UNITY MARCH - There were peaceful protests and marches that occurred over the weekend in the downtown area in Shreveport. On Sunday - Mayor Adrian Perkins and other city officials joined faith leaders, and community members for a Unity March from Old Galilee Baptist Church to Little Union Baptist Church. Mayor Perkins took a few moments to address the crowd.
"I want to start out as a leader by saying hold city government accountable, hold me accountable, hold Chief Raymond accountable," Perkins said. "But the only way we're going to get the wide sweeping change that we need to tear down the walls of racial injustice is that we all stick together."
Shreveport Chief of Police Ben Raymond expressed his pride in our city for being the nationwide example of peaceful demonstrations.
"We were different because we came out and we spoke as one and we did it without rioting, without looting, without arrests, without violence," Raymond said. "Shreveport, Louisiana was on national news for the right reasons. I encourage you to continue to invoke your First Amendment Rights , do it peacefully and you have the support of the police department."
The event was among several that has been part of a local intiative called 45 Days of Action-Shreveport.
