Stillwater Teen Organizes Peaceful Rally In Front Of Police Department

A 17-year-old Stillwater High School student organized a rally in front of the city's police department Wednesday. 

Emily Croft organized the event but said she wanted the protest to focus on her friends of color. ​

"We are very much a minority in this town," Emily's friend, Alora Thompson, said. "Seeing people rally and organize together for us and to represent us, is just something so beautiful and I'll always be grateful for it."

Hundreds of young people attended the rally alongside dozens of Stillwater police officers.

"When an officer of the law takes the law into his own hands, he represents all of us," Stillwater Police Chief Jeff Watts said. "It angers me to no end, because I hold this badge so sacred and ut's so important to me."

The rally was organized in conjunction with the police department, but protesters said officers just being there isn't enough.

"Them being here is really nothing," Thompson said. "But, I think its a step and they are hearing our prospective and hearing where we are coming from, and they've never heard us like this before."

Protesters called on what they call white allies posting about Black Lives Matter on social media to show up make and their voices heard in public. ​

"You can choose to look away, but you cannot say you did not know," Amiya Barber said, reading her homemade shirt. "You know there is racism in our world, you know they are killing our people, and you've yet to do anything about it. So if you are silent in these situations, it's about time now that is a betrayal to our people."