Seeing same fight, Pride Parade welcomes Black Lives Matter marchers
Mark CurnutteOn Friday afternoon, while standing in the rain outside of the Hamilton County Courthouse, the Rev. David Meredith extended an invitation to Brian Taylor, a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement in Cincinnati.
"March with us tomorrow," said Meredith, the openly gay pastor of Clifton United Methodist Church.
On Friday, Meredith had joined Black Lives Matter in protesting the second mistrial of former University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing. He had been charged with murder and voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of unarmed black motorist Sam DuBose in a July 2015 traffic stop.
On Saturday, several dozen Black Lives Matter members and allies took Meredith up on that offer. They walked in Cincinnati's Gay Pride Parade with a contingent from his church as a celebration of their shared quest for justice for all.
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"My faith compels me to care about everyone who is marginalized and everyone who is left at the side of the road," Meredith said as groups waited in line on the Seventh Street bridge for the parade to begin.
"Sam DuBose was left by the side of the road. He is still there."
Vandals struck Meredith's church in March, scrawling slurs of a sexual nature on its sign. The congregation has marched in the Pride Parade for 20 years and supported Muslim communities and Black Lives Matter. among other social causes.
Seasoned in rallies and public demonstrations, Black Lives Matter chanted Saturday throughout the parade route. Many onlookers applauded, yelled support or raised a clenched fist.
At Fountain Square, Greg Montgomery of Mount Airy watched with his husband and two friends.
"I think this is the pinnacle of Pride," said Montgomery, 47. "Black Lives Matter is huge. Everyone is welcome and together."
Many joined in the inclusive chants.
"Racism?"
"Not OK."
"Homophobia?"
"Not OK."
"Police brutality?"
"Not OK."
"Transphobia?"
"Not OK."
"Rape culture?"
"Not OK."
"Anyone who is oppressed doesn't want anyone else to be oppressed," said Mona Jenkins, a Black Lives Matter steering committee member.
Immigration rights activist Flequer Vera and his wife, Ellen Dienger Vera, brought their 4-month-old son, Javi, to march in Pride with Black Lives Matter.
"It's important to be in solidarity," Vera said.
After turning south on Vine Street from Seventh, Black Lives Matter turned up the volume. They chanted, "Say his name. Sam DuBose." Paradegoers responded to a prolonged cry of "Black Lives Matter." As the group approached the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, it switched to a chant of "Fist up. Fight back."
Black Lives Matter leader Jenkins noted the positive reception as the group turned east on Freedom Way.
"It's nice for people to see who we are up close," she said. "So many have heard that we are a terrorist group. We're not. We're people like the people in the Pride movement. We're fighting for what we believe in, and we're stronger as one."
Black Lives Matter plans to make its concerns known again in the wake of the Tensing trial outcome; a Wednesday protest action has been scheduled. Plans for that rally will be discussed at a meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Main Library, Downtown.