Long Branch marches for justice and peace

The NAACP of Greater Long Branch and local churches in Long Branch, N.J. held a march and rally seeking justice and peace in wake of the recent killings of black men by law enforcement.

Long Branch march

About 60 residents gathered in front of Jerry Morgan Park on Liberty St. Lead by the Rev. Kevin Nunn of Spirit of Truth World Vision Outreach in Asbury Park, marchers walked down Broadway to the City Hall steps in solidarity with all the protests across the nation.

The rally was a chance to get their voice heard for seeking justice for Black men who have died in police custody across the country and served as a call for stronger relationships between Long Branch residents and local police.

Church leaders who led the march pointed to the recent deaths of Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Michael Brown, and more recently Freddie Gray. All Black men who have been killed by police officers.

In the wake of Freddie Gray’s death, protests happened in the city of Baltimore calling an end to police brutality and racial profiling by police.

Bill Dangler, the president of the Greater NAACP of Long Branch, said Sunday’s march was an effort to prevent a similar situation from happening in his own community. Recently, he has met with police chiefs in Long Branch, Asbury Park, Tinton Falls, Fair Haven and Red Bank to come up with local plans to build stronger relationships with the residents they protect.

Church leaders emphasized the importance of community activism, stating that the riots that have happened in other cities, most recently Baltimore, can happen right in Long Branch. Their hope is that open dialogue about the problems facing communities like Long Branch will help with solutions.