CLAREMORE, Okla. — From start to finish, two assemblies in Claremore managed to stay peaceful. One was a prayer rally held in the NeMar Shopping Center, the other a protest which started and ended at Gazebo Park.
“This town has people in it that are good,” yelled one protester.
The crowd at the park started small with about 30 people joined by Claremore Police officers and their Chief Stan Brown.
“Every human is equal, I don’t care straight, gay, black, white. you’re equal, you bleed red. To see the violence and the hatred, it doesn’t make sense to me. Why would you do that? I have privilege and I'm using it to give people of color a voice,” said protest organizer, Kai Cook.
A Tulsan also stood beside Cook: Tykebrean Cheshire, she organized Sunday’s Black Lives Matter Rally in Tulsa.
“She did this. It’s powerful. It’s peaceful, and they are doing it,” Cheshire said.
The group later marched down the street to the NeMar Shopping Center while chanting, “Hands up! Don’t shoot!”
They went passed Kendrick Oakley’s prayer rally. Oakley is the lead pastor for Real Life Church in Claremore.
Oakley said, “We just gathered to be a voice from the church of unity and we’re just going to pray.”
While the group prayed, Cook led her growing crowd of 100 to the Rogers County Courthouse. Law enforcement kept watch from atop the building.
After speakers took their turn, the group ended the night back at the park, having maintained peace throughout.
Claremore police officers were also scattered around the city, monitoring while the events were happening.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Download our free app for Apple and Android and Kindle devices.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines and Daily Forecasts.
