Silent March, Loud Message

Many of the people walking down Cervantes Street today, 10/17/09, were rolling their bicycles beside them. Clicking bike chains are one small reminder of Victor Steen. He was killed while riding his bike late at night at the corner of R and Cervantes Streets two weeks ago.

“I'm just standing out on my brother, whatever they put together I'm coming, even if it takes the last breath in my body, whatever they hold for my brother I'm going to be here,” says Victor’s sister Fatina Dupree as she choked back tear’s before Saturday’s demonstration. She’s is one of dozens of people marching along Cervantes Street to the funeral. It’s a gesture that's impressed a grieving family.

“Many times it has happened and nobody stood up, nobody said anything but this time it's good to see and it's not just one color,” says Dupree. Many of the people who gathered for the march say today is both a solemn day and a day of solidarity.

“We will be calling upon the Attorney General of the United States, Mr. Eric Holder and the Justice Department to come to Pensacola quickly and swiftly,” says President and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference Byron Clay. Members of the SCLC helped organize the march. They say their silent protest is also meant to rally the community

“We're here today, to let people know if you saw what happened, come forward now, get on the record,” says SCLC legal council Dexter Wimbisch. This is becoming a cause victor's friends won't soon forget.

“He died for no reason he died over a reason that was ridiculous,” says Victor’s friend Renea Roby. The crowd walked quietly more than a mile to the greater Little Rock Baptist Church. Officer Jerald Ard was placed on paid administrative leave after his patrol car killed Victor Steen. No one from the police department could update us on his status today. The incident changed the Pensacola Police Department’s Taser policy.