>> WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL, AND WE'RE HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY TO HEAR FROM A COMMUNITY SADDENED BY THE RECENT KILLING OF AN UNARMED BLACK MAN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

♪ WELCOME TO BLACK ISSUES FORUM I'M DEBORAH HOLT-NOEL AND WE'RE HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY TO HEAR FROM A COMMUNITY SADDENED BY THE RECENT KILLING OF AN UNARMED BLACK MAN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> WE'RE OUT HERE TO PROTEST TO RELEASE THE TAPE THE WHOLE TAPE, NOT JUST 20 SECONDS CAUSE IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

THE WHOLE TAPE, AND MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE MURDER OF ANDREW BROWN JR. >> [PROTESTERS] NO PEACE!

>> COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS IN ELIZABETH CITY ARE DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR, WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AT HIS HOME ON APRIL 21ST DURING AN ATTEMPT TO SERVE A SEARCH AND ARREST WARRANT RELATED TO FELONY DRUG CHARGES.

ACCORDING TO ACCOUNTS FROM POLICE BODY CAM FOOTAGE, AND AN INDEPENDENT AUTOPSY REPORT, BROWN ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AWAY, POLICE FIRED INTO HIS VEHICLE AND BROWN CRASHED INTO A TREE, BUT ONLY AFTER 5 BULLETS STRUCK HIM, ONE FATAL TO THE BACK OF HIS NECK.

CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY BEN CRUMP AND THE LEGAL TEAM REPRESENTING THE BROWN FAMILY HAVE DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF ALL THE BODY CAM FOOTAGE.

>> A INNOCENT MAN WAS GUNNED DOWN.

SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

THE VEHICLE RIDDLED WITH BULLETS FROM THE REAR.

>> THE COMMUNITY IS SPEAKING OUT.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE WITH US QUENTIN JACKSON, A REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND A LONGTIME FRIEND OF ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR.

QUENTIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

YOU HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT NIGHT YOU'VE BEEN VERY INVOLVED WITH THE PROTESTING, NOT DOING SO GREAT THIS MORNING.

>> A LONG 8 NIGHTS, NOW GOING INTO THE 9TH, WITH THE DEATH OF ANDREW BROWN.

YOU KNOW IT'S REALITY, LIKE I SAID I HAD A ROUGH NIGHT LAST NIGHT WITH ENCOUNTER AND THE POLICE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT I COULD BE ANDREW BROWN.

YOU KNOW LAST NIGHT I HAD A GUN POINTED AT MY HEAD.

YOU KNOW I DIDN'T THINK WHEN SPEAKING TO YOUR TEAM YESTERDAY UNTIL TODAY THAT I'D BE HERE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE STORY, AND THEN WHEN YOU GO HOME IN BED AND GET ON YOUR KNEES AND PRAY TO GOD THAT YOU MADE IT AND THAT YOU CAN SLEEP IN OTHER NIGHT AND WAKE UP, IT'S JUST THAT MUCH.

WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY, BUT NOT TO FOCUS ON HERE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA.

I THINK AS MORE PEOPLE HEAR THE STORY OF ANDREW BROWN AND HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE GET IN, A LOT MORE WILL COME OUT.

>> WHY WERE YOU SO SURPRISED AT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU LAST NIGHT HERE?

>> I WAS SO SURPRISED BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT MY PHONE EVERY DAY I'VE TALKED TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE REACHED OUT TO SHERIFF WOOTEN, I'M IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PROTESTERS WOULD REMAIN PEACEFUL.

WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN SAFE EVERY NIGHT.

WE MAKE SURE TO PICK UP ALL THE TRASH.

SO IT GOES TO SHOW, WE'RE DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, AND YOU'RE BLACK, BAD THINGS CAN STILL HAPPEN TO YOU AND THEN JUSTICE CAN STILL HAPPEN.

>> IT'S GOT TO BE SO FRUSTRATING AND YOU KNEW ANDREW BROWN, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HIM?

>> WHAT I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT IS THAT 168 PAGE REPORT DID NOT DEFINE THE MAN.

THE THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS TRYING TO SAY, DID YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMUNITY KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHEN ANDREW BROWN GOT SHOT THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE A WEAPON.

BECAUSE WE KNEW ANDREW BROWN WAS.

WE KNEW THE MAN, WE KNEW HE DID NOT CARRY ANY WEAPONS, WE KNEW HE WAS VERY NON-VIOLENT.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DREW AND I KNOW YOU GUYS SAY ANDRE,W WITH US HE WAS DREW.

DREW BROWN.

WE ALL CALLED HIM DREW BROWN.

BUT DREW BROWN WOULD TELL YOU DO SOMETHING TO ME AND I'LL CALL THE POLICE.

YOU KNOW I CAN TELL YOU THAT I BELIEVE THAT HE NEVER SLEPT, BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE ON FACEBOOK IN THE MORNING RECORDING A VIDEO, THAT IS THE LEGACY.

THE NIGHT BEFORE, I WAS WITH ANDREW BROWN.

THE NIGHT BEFORE HE DIED, I WAS WITH ANDREW BROWN AND WE SHARED SO MANY LAUGHS AND SO MUCH MORE, I WISH I COULD'VE SAID BEFORE HE WALKED OUT THE DOOR BECAUSE HE LEFT BEFORE I DID SO JUST THE CHARACTER, YOU KNOW?

THAT'S THE HARDEST PART FOR ME SEEING HIS CHARACTER ASSASSINATED.

BEING A YOUNG FATHER, BEING A FELON, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A JOB.

SO MANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN HAVE TO GO DOWN A ROAD TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO THE MESSAGING COMING OUT OF ELIZABETH CITY OVER THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT, THERE'S A MESSAGE THAT IS BEING DRIVEN PERHAPS BY MEDIA AND OTHERS WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT YOU WANT TO GO FORTH.

>> I WANT IT TO GO FORTH THAT ELIZABETH CITY IS A POPULATION OF ABOUT 17,000 PEOPLE.

IN THAT WE NEVER EVER IMAGINED LOOKING AT CNN, LOOKING AT ABC LOOKING AT ALL THOSE NATIONAL NETWORKS SEEING THE GEORGE FLOYDS, SANDRA BLANDS THE PHILANDRO CASTILLES LOOKING AT ALL OF THEM, WE NEVER THOUGHT IT COULD HAPPEN IN THIS SMALL CITY.

NEVER.

BUT DIDN'T HAPPEN 15 HOURS AFTER THE DEREK CHAUVIN TRIAL.

YOU'RE HEARING ELIZABETH CITY AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT'S HERE THAT YOU SEE ON TV TO THINK THEY'LL NEVER HAVE TO BE IN THE TOWN.

AND INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUT FOR BIG LEADERS WE MADE SURE WE KEPT IT SMALL, SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY.

HOW WE ARE.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAD THIS PROTEST, WE'RE NOT TO LET PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND BE DESTRUCTIVE, BECAUSE THIS IS HOME FOR SO MANY PEOPLE SO MANY PEOPLE THIS IS HOME AND IF I INVITE YOU TO MY HOUSE, I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU TEAR UP MY HOUSE, BECAUSE I HAVE TO LIVE HERE.

SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE WANT TO SHOW.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THE MEDIA CHANGE THE NARRATIVE TO LOOTING AND PROTESTS AND THE AMOUNT OF INSURANCE THESE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO GET REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE TEAR UP, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT STAYS THE FOCUS OF ANDREW BROWN.

>> BECAUSE THE PROTESTS HAVE INDEED BEEN THAT AND THEY'VE BEEN NONVIOLENT THEY'VE BEEN PEACEFUL AND YET THERE WAS A CURFEW THAT WAS IMPOSED.

>> AS A REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS I REPRESENT EVERY BLACK ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

IT'S DISHEARTENING THAT THEY WOULD DO THIS.

IT DISHEARTENING BECAUSE I'M THE FIRST ONE UP IN THE MORNING LAST ONE OUT THE DOOR AT NIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROTESTS AND THE SEA THAT EVERYBODY WAS GONE BY 1030 EVERY NIGHT.

NO ARRESTS, NO VAN LOW POLICE CARS FLIPPED OVER NO NOTHING JUST PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES UPSET CAUSE THEY MAY HAVE TO TAKE A MINUTE TWO MINUTE DETOUR TO GET TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

YOU LOOK AT THE RACIST COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK PEOPLE CALL THIS BOWLING PINS COLUMNIST PEOPLE ALL THESE THINGS THAT GO ON AND THEN THE MAYOR TAKE THIS ACTION.

TAKE THIS ACTION I'VE REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ATTRIBUTE OF THE MAYOR AND THEY SAW ALL SAY THEY WAS IN FAVOR OF A CURFEW BUT THEY WOULD NOT IN FAVOR OF THE TIME THEY THOUGHT SHOULD BE A LITTLE MORE AROUND 11 O'CLOCK WHICH I THINK I'VE BEEN MORE FINE WITH THEY'VE I WAS LEAVING AT 1030 BUT WHEN YOU'RE A PEACEFUL YOU DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THEN YOU KIND OF MANDATE, THESE PEOPLE AND THEN YOU TRY TO STOP HIM FROM HURTING AND THEY'RE DOING IT PEACEFULLY.

I THINK IT SENDS A BAD MESSAGE THAT IF YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING THAT YOU STILL BE PUNISHED AND THAT'S NOT.

WHAT WE WANT TO DISPLAY HERE.

>> IN THE LAST FEW SECONDS WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT EVEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANT JUSTICE RELEASED THE TAPE.

BUT NOT A BAR BECAME THE TAO.

>> HE SAYS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT HE SAID WITH THE GEORGE FLOYD WE GOT A VERDICT AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE SO MANY OFTENTIMES YOU DON'T GET A VERDICT YESTERDAY.

I WANT PEOPLE TO PLAY CLOSE ATTENTION.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY STILL WITH THOSE OFFICERS AND TRY TO JUSTIFY THOSE OFFICERS.

WHAT HE SAID WAS HE SAID MR. BROUGH TRY TO HIT THOSE OFFICERS CAME IN CONTACT WITH THOSE OFFICERS WITH HIS CAR BUT YOU WILL RELEASE THE TAPE IN THE 20 SECONDS KNOW THAT ANYTHING THAT NONE OF THAT ANYTHING THAT IN THE 20 SECONDS YOU WERE DEAD PEOPLE PEACE OFFICERS THERE FOR THE WORK, YOU'RE DEAD IN THEIR FACES.

NO NEED THE NAMES OUT NO NEED FOR YOU TO READ THAT ANYTHING IF YOU PREACH IN TRANSPARENCY, BE TRANSPARENT.

WE WANT JUSTICE AND WE WON'T STOP WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET A GUILTY VERDICT.

THIS WHEN THE JUSTICE TRUE HAPPENS.

>> QUENTIN JACKSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND LET'S HOPE THAT THINGS GET BETTER FOR ELIZABETH CITY AND FOR THE NATION.

YES MA'AM, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

>> YOU DO NOT DISPERSE IMMEDIATELY.

YOU WILL BE ARRESTED.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN NIGHTLY PROTESTS SINCE THE SHOOTING DEATH OF ANDREW BROWN HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY ON APRIL 27 08:00PM CURFEW WAS IMPOSED AND ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED RIGHT NOW I'M WITH MY TREY FREEMAN, THE CITY MANAGER FOR ELIZABETH CITY, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, THERE'S ONE BURNING QUESTION THAT I THINK A LOT OF ACTIVISTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE AND THAT IS BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEACEFUL PROTESTS PROTESTS WERE PEACEFUL WHY WAS AN 08:00PM CURFEW IMPOSED.

>> SO IT'S HONORED TO BE HERE IS NOT A PLACE TO DO I WOULD LOVE TO BE SPEAKING WITH YOU AND THE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PURPOSE FOR THE CURFEW WAS MULTIFACETED FIRST OF ALL ON THAT MONDAY NIGHT.

WE HAVE SOME ACTION WE HAD.

A SECOND GROUP SAID THE PROTESTS ENDED ABOUT 9 AND THEN THERE WAS A SECOND GROUP THAT WENT OUT PROTESTING THAT GROUP BEGAN TO THROW ROCKS AT BUILDINGS.

THEY.

SOME POLICE CARS.

THE NEXT DAY WE HAD A DRIVER TO BRANDISH A GUN ON ONE OF THE PROTESTERS.

AND THEN THE 3RD DAY WHICH WAS A DAY THAT WE JUST WAS WORKING ON A CURFEW WE ACTUALLY HAD AN OFFICER TO GET HIT WITH THE ROCK.

AND SO OUR PROTEST IS HERE IN THE CITY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THE CITIZENS HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ONE OF THE THINGS THIS OFTEN TIME THAT TALKED ABOUT IS THAT WHEN PROTESTERS ARE PROTESTING.

WHAT ARE THE REST OF THE PEOPLE DOING RIGHT AND I LIKE TO THINK THIS IS WHAT THE CITY BECAUSE THEY EXERCISE A GREAT DEAL OF PATIENTS DRIVING AROUND THE TOOLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO IT WAS REALLY A TEAM EFFORT IT WAS TEAM ELISABETH CITY ALL THE WAY ASSIST A TIME THE PROTESTS BEGAN TO SLOWLY TAKE ON A DIFFERENT CULTURE.

AND SO WE BEGIN TO SEE MORE CARS ON THE GROUND MORE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AND SO AND THAT SPACE BECAUSE I STILL WANT TO PROTECT PROTESTERS, I STILL WANT TO PROTECT CITIZENS, IMPLEMENTING A CURFEW SO THAT WE COULD GET A HOLD OF THIS THING.

YOU ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THOSE PROTESTS IS HAVE HAS BEEN AND CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY PEACEFUL.

BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND I WELCOME PEOPLE TO THE CITY OF ELIZABETH CITY WE ARE THE HARBOR OF HOSPITALITY AFTER ALL RIGHT.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY WE SEE HERE ON THE WATER.

BUT WE DO WANT EVERYBODY TO BE SAFE.

AND IT'S MY JOB IN MY CHARGE TO PROTECT EVERYONE AND SO SOMETIMES IN TRYING TO PROTECT PEOPLE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS THAT MAY NOT BE FAVORABLE OR LIKE, BUT AT THE ROOT OF ALL OF IT, YOU KNOW AS AN ATTORNEY AS A GRADUATE OF THIS UNIVERSITY AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN STEEL PUSHING WITH MY INITIATIVE TO PROTECT EVERYBODY SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE.

>> SAFETY FOR EVERYONE IS THINK WHAT EVERYONE WANTS.

MY TREY FREEMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR LIVED IN THE SHEPHERD STREET NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY AND RIGHT NOW I'M HERE WITH DOCTOR MELISSA STUCKEY WHO IS A HISTORY.

PROFESSOR AT ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY HAS DONE RESEARCH ON NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT AND IS A BIT CITY DOCTOR STUCKY WHAT CAN YOU SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE SHEPHERD STREET NEIGHBORHOOD IN ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND SOCIAL ECONOMY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN GENERAL IN THIS AREA.

>> THIS IS A REALLY SPECIAL NEIGHBORHOOD IN ELIZABETH CITY IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY FORMER SLAVES BEGINNING AFTER THE CIVIL WAR OR AND WAS A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END OF SEGREGATION ERA.

SO ROUGHLY THAT 1970'S WHEN URBAN RENEWAL BEGAN, THERE'S A HISTORIC CEMETERY THERE THAT HOUSES ARE HOMES.

YOU FORMER USC T WHICH WHERE UNITED STATES COLORED TROOPS DURING THE CIVIL WAR.

THE FOUNDERS OF ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY AND IS AN ACTIVE CEMETERY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH TODAY.

SO I'VE HAD STUDENTS IN THERE CLEANING AND SURVEY THE CEMETERY VERY RECENTLY.

IN ADDITION MY STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SURVEYING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND REDISCOVERING THE BUSINESSES THAT LINED THE STREETS OF ELIZABETH CITY AFRICAN AMERICAN BUSINESSES THROUGH EHRINGHAUS ROAD WATER STREET MAIN STREET.

THESE ARE THE STREETS THAT YOU SEE PROTESTERS ON RIGHT NOW TODAY CITY STREETS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF I'VE BLACKFEET BLOCKING THEM 4 PARADES FOR BUSINESS AND NOW WE SEE FOR PROTESTS.

>> DOCTOR STUCKY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROOTS HERE AND THAT THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A PLACE WHERE POVERTY BEGAN BUT POVERTY HAS HAS BECOME A PART OF THIS AREA'S WOULD THAT BE CORRECT.

>> YEAH, THIS IS A VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD STILL ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY ANCHORS THIS COMMUNITY AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE GRADUATES OF ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY.

THERE ARE CITY MANAGER SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY WORK FOR THE UNIVERSITY OR ATTEND SCHOOL HERE.

IT'S IMPORTANT SPACE IT'S A HISTORIC SPACE.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT POSITIVE ASPECT REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU DOCTOR, MELISSA STUCKEY THANK YOU SO MUCH, THANKS.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ADDRESSED CONGRESS AND SAID WE NEED TO ROOT OUT SYSTEMIC RACISM IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

IN A REBUTTAL SENATOR TIM SCOTT SAID AMERICA IS NOT A RACIST NATION.

RIGHT NOW I'M SEATED WITH DOCTOR HEZEKIAH BROWN, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF ELIZABETH CITY.

AND HE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT REPARATIONS AND ABOUT WHAT TO DO FOLLOWING UNREST IN A PARTICULAR CITY DOCTOR BROWN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AND I WANT TO ASK YOU WHEN YOU HEARD THE REMARKS OF SENATOR TIM SCOTT IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN SEEING RIGHT HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY.

WHAT DID YOU THINK.

>> WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT I SAYS WOW I WONDER WHAT PLANET WAS HE ON.

HE IS NOT ONLY IS SENATOR SCOTT WHO SAID THIS IS ALSO JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

SO THE LINDSEY GRAHAM MADE THE SAME KIND OF STATEMENT AND SO HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT THESE FOLKS A LITTLE BIT ON A DIFFERENT PLANET.

NOW.

LET ME CLARIFY THAT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY WHITE PERSON IS RACE IS OKAY.

BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE SO MANY THERE'S A LARGE MAJORITY IN THE DOESN'T TAKE THE AUNT, HOW WHITE RACE TO BE WE TALKING ABOUT.

BUT IT JUST TAKE A FEW PEOPLE AND A FEW RACES AND YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER PEOPLE, I'VE JUST A DIFFERENT STORY LET ME GIVE YOU ONE IN DISTRICT ONE CENT.

I HAVE LIVED THROUGH THIS.

THIS IS NOT WHAT SOMEONE TOLD ME THE SAME AS TIM SCOTT I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM BUT IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT I DIDN'T FACE RACISM, I HAVE WORKED AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

I'M TALKING WITH CITY STATE COUNTY FEDERAL N OTHER PLACES SO I'M SAYING THAT IN EVERY ALMOST EVERY POSITION OF PEACE WE SAYS SYSTEMIC RACISM, BUT IT DIDN'T STOP ME FROM WORKING BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM THE SAME AS TIM SCOTT BUT I WILL NEVER SEE THAT WE DON'T HAVE RACISM IN THE COUNTRY AND I THINK THAT MOST WHITE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THEY WILL ADMIT THAT WE HAVE SYSTEMIC RACISM IN THE COUNTRY.

>> NOW WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN ELIZABETH CITY AND THIS MOST RECENT INCIDENT CONCERNING ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR.

IS THERE AN ISSUE THAT YOU SEE THAT COULD MEET NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IN TERMS OF RACISM WITHIN POLICING WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND POLICE COMMUNITIES.

WELL I THINK THAT FIRST OF ALL IS THAT AGAIN.

>> EVEN WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ALL RIGHT, I HAVE SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS AND SOME PEOPLE LOVE FAMILY.

THAT'S PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM, BUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT TO STRIP BUT WHAT EVERYBODY'S TRIP WITH IN EVERY SINGLE ORGANIZATION THAT WE ALL WORK AND LIVE IN THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE KIND OF SET THE STAGE FOR THE ENTIRE AGENCY AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OKAY, BUT WHAT HAPPENED HE IS B THE WITH THE WITH THE ATTEMPT TO DO WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THEY WANT TO TRAIN THEM ALL RIGHT TEACH THEM AND TRAIN THEM AND WHEN THEY TEACH THEM TRAIN THEM TO TRAIN THEM ALONE.

I THINK IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY SITTING DOWN AT A TABLE AND COMING UP WITH DEFINING THE PROBLEM AND THEN JOINED COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HELP THEM THAT WOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WHAT I'M SEEING NOT AS BIG AREAS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AMONGST THE POLICE AND BECAUSE WITH SOME TIME WE DON'T KNOW EVEN IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN TO WAS INVOLVED IN THE SHOOTING WE WE ARE UNAWARE OF WHAT GOLDMAN BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS UNTIL WE BRING IT TOGETHER WE CAN SIT AND TALK ACROSS THE TABLE AND SAY YES, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AS A AS A AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO AND THE 2 OF THEM SIT TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM AND WORK ON A SOLUTION FOR THAT PROBLEM.

IT WILL WORK AND I CAN TELL YOU AS I'VE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY, BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD LOOKING TO WAYS AND MEANS TO RESOLVE DISPUTES AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO YOU CANNOT LEGISLATE.

HE COULD YOU CANNOT LEGISLATE FEELINGS YOU CAN SEE AND YOU CAN'T YOU COULD SIT IN THE LEGACY OF OFFICE AND SAID THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT THEY TRIED TO LEGISLATE FEELINGS, ANGER AND HATRED AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DO PEOPLE HAVE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE DISPUTE.

>> DOCTOR HEZEKIAH BROWN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHTS AND THANK YOU AGAIN, BLACK ISSUES FORM IS IN ELIZABETH CITY AND RIGHT NOW IN WITH THE REVEREND CURTIS GATEWOOD THE FOUNDER OF STOP KILLING US AND JUSTICE MINISTRIES.

REVEREND GATE WITH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

YOU DON'T LIVE IN THIS AREA THAT YOU ARE HERE ORGANIZING AND BEING INVOLVED WHAT'S YOUR CONNECTION AND WHY ARE YOU HERE.

>> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY SAID THERE WERE WELL IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY WITHOUT GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THEY'RE ISSUES THAT WE IMPAIR ALL AFFECT JUSTICE.

THEN ALL OF US WHO ARE INTERESTED IN JUSTICE WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO STEP FORWARD SO IT WAS UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT THE KILLING OF ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR.

WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON AN ISSUE IN GRAHAM NORTH CAROLINA WHERE WE HAD A POLICE OFFICER IN GREENSBOROUGH WHO HAD USED EXCESSIVE FORCE TWICE HE USED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE PART OF THE WHOLE TIME OF MARCUS SMITH, WHO ULTIMATELY DIED.

AND THEN HE USED EXCESSIVE FORCE AGAIN SHOOTING INSIDE AN OCTAVE OCCUPIED VEHICLE.

SO WHILE WE WERE WORKING ON THAT TO SERVE THE LARGER ISSUE OF BEING MORE PROACTIVE BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE RATHER THAN POWER AND THOSE TYPES OF POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE AFTER HE DID THOSE 2 COUNTS OF EXCESSIVE FORCE.

HE WAS HIRED IN GRAHAM NORTH CAROLINA AFTER THEN FIRE IN GREENSBOROUGH SO WE'RE SEEING A PATTERN ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE WE'RE SEEING WHERE POLICE OFFICERS ALL BEING USING EXCESSIVE FORCE AND THEN TURNING AROUND AND BEING HIGHER OR STAYING ON THE JOB AND BEING PROMOTED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO YOU THAT AGAIN AND IF THEY'RE NOT IF IT'S NOT ADDRESSED AT THAT MOMENT, THEY ARE SOMEWHAT EMBOLDEN TO DO MORE SO WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN ELIZABETH CITY FIRST OF ALL HURT MY HEART WE TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE FAMILY ALSO KNOW PEOPLE IN ELIZABETH CITY.

SO IT TIED INTO WHAT WE WERE DOING.

ONE HAND WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE HERE.

WE ARE REACTING BUT I SAY WE CAN DO BOTH WE CAN'T REACT TO THE INJUSTICES THAT ARE OCCURRING SIMULTANEOUSLY WE CAN ALSO WORK ON SOLUTIONS TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

>> SO BASED ON YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE LOCALLY IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH ANDREW BROWN, SOMETHING UNIQUE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

IT IS THE SYMPTOMATIC OF SOMETHING THAT THAT'S LARGER GOING ON HERE.

>> IS THIS IS EXEMPLARY OF A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY UNFORTUNATELY IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ISOLATED INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE WITH DEREK CHAUVIN WHEN THAT WHEN HE ACTUALLY PUT HIS KNEE ON THE NECK OF GEORGE FLOOR FOR 9 MINUTES AND 29 SECONDS UNTIL YET NO BREATH LEFT IN HIS LIFE HAD THAT BEEN AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

THEN WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED AT A PROPERTY WE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED THAT PROBLEM AND THAT WOULD IN THE END OF IT, BUT HE COULD NOT EVEN GO THROUGH THE TRIAL THROUGH THE TRIAL WITHOUT THERE BEING A DANTE WRIGHT WITHOUT THERE BEING ANDREW BROWN JUNIOR WITHOUT THERE BEING A LOOK EACH ALL OF WHICH ARE RIGHT THERE.

HOW BRYANT SO IT SHOWED YOU THAT IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE AND THROUGH STOP KILLING US ALEUTIAN CAMPAIGN WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TRY TO BE PROACTIVE BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE JUST LIKE IT HAPPENED ACROSS THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PROTEST FOR ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS.

AFTER THOSE COUPLE WEEKS WHEN THE MEDIA POOL BACK THE MEDIA MOVES THEN THOSE PEOPLE ARE LEFT WITH THE PAIN THEY LEFT WITH THE SAME ISSUES AND THE CYCLE CONTINUES UNTIL THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTINUOUSLY WORKING ON THE ISSUES AND ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO.

>> AND YOU YOURSELF.

WE'RE ONE OF 7 PEOPLE ARRESTED DURING THE PROTESTS WHEN EVENING HAD TO SPEND SOME TIME IN JAIL, WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND AT THAT TIME AND AND WHY WERE YOU ARRESTED.

>> WELL AGAIN THE REASON BUT WERE ARRESTED IS IS IS EXEMPLARY OF A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM.

BLACK PEOPLE ARE HAVING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY THAT SHOULD EXIST AS THEY ARE PLAQUE TO AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING OPPRESSED, THEY'RE BEING VIOLATED IN THE CASE OF ANDREW BROWN.

WHETHER IS THE 4TH AMENDMENT, THE 5TH AMENDMENT OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT WHICH PROTECTS PEOPLE'S RIGHTS THAT CALL FOR DUE PROCESS THAT CALL FOR PROBABLE CAUSE THAT REQUIRE A PEOPLE BEING INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY ALL THOSE THINGS SHOULD BE APPLIED WHENEVER THERE'S BEEN A WARRANT SERVED OR ANYTHING ELSE.

BUT PEOPLE POLICE OFFICERS ARE ACTING AS IF THE OTHER JUDGE THE JURY AND EXECUTIONER AND THEY'RE COMING IN KILLING OR AS IF THEY'RE GOOD JOB IS TO PUNISH AND SO ONE THING WE WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT PEOPLE ON THE STAND AND A POLICE OFFICER STANDARDS ON BENEATH THOUGH THAT THE CONSTITUTION THAT HAD BEEN APPLIED TO ALL PEOPLE AND PROVIDE PEOPLE PROTECTIONS OF THEIR RIGHTS SO THEREFORE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THE CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE ALL THE TIME AND BY PEOPLE BEING TOLL IN ELIZABETH CITY THAT THEY COULD NOT PROTEST AFTER 8 O'CLOCK PM THAT WILL THE RED FLAG TO ME BECAUSE IT VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION WHICH GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO PEACEFULLY ASSEMBLE THEY HAD NOT COMMITTED ANY VIOLENT ACTS THERE WAS NOT ANY LOOTING THEY WERE NOT DOING ANYTHING BUT PEACEFULLY PROTESTING YET IF HE'LL THE MAYOR GAVE THEM AN 8 O'CLOCK CURFEW WE FELT LIKE THAT VIOLATED THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT AS WE'RE SEEING A PATTERN OF RICE BEEN VALLEY.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CURFEW A CURFEW WAS INSTITUTED TO KEEP FOLKS SAFE ON BOTH SIDES.

>> PEOPLE SAY THAT AND IT'S MORE ACCEPTABLE.

I WOULD SAY WHEN THERE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ACTS OF VIOLENCE LIKE FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE SEEN IN SOME CITIES WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT SET FIRE TO A PERSON A PRECINCT.

PEOPLE ARE NOT CUT OF GOING OUT DESTROYING PROPERTY.

WE'VE SEEN THOSE INSTANCES AND WHEN THERE WAS A CALL FOR A CURFEW IT SEEM MORE APPROPRIATE.

BUT IN LIGHT OF THE CITY THEY'VE BEEN UNIQUE IN HOW THEY PROTESTED PEACEFULLY THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS THERE HAVE BEEN NO SUCH ACTS OF LOOTING SHOOTING DESTRUCTION TO BUILDINGS AND OTHER PHILIP FACILITIES.

SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE EVEN THOUGH THAT THAT IT OFTEN HAPPENS THAT THESE KURT CURFEWS ARE MANDATED IT DID NOT APPLY TO LEAD THE CITY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY HAS TO CARRY OUT A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT AND WITH A SLAP IN THEIR FACE TO SEE SUCH A AN EGREGIOUS ACT OF RACIAL HATRED OR JUST OUTRIGHT MURDER AND THEN TO TELL THEM OH BY THE WAY YOU CAN'T PROTEST AT 8 O'CLOCK.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.

MOVING FORWARD.

>> PAST THE PROTESTS BECAUSE AS YOU SAID THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROTESTS PEOPLE ARE HURTING WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN THIS NEXT STEPS, RIGHT.

>> FIRST OF ALL ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN MY ORGANIZATION CALLED STOP KILLING US ALEUTIAN CAMPAIGN WE PROVIDE SOLUTIONS WE HAVE AN 18 POINT WHAT WE REFER TO AS OUR STANDARDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WE HAVE OUR OWN STANDARDS CORRECT.

CURRENTLY, THE POLICE IS STANDARD A LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THEY'RE IN FEAR.

IA THERE DO NOT MEET THE STANDARDS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEY DID NOT MEET MORROW STANDARDS THERE DON'T NEED TO JUST A STANDARD.

SO WHAT WE DO IT.

WE CAME UP WITH OUR OWN AND SO WHAT SOME OF THOSE SOLUTION SHOULD BE APPLIED ACROSS THE NATION I WOULD THINK FOR THAT BUT WE'RE AGAINST NO KNOCK SEARCH.

THESE PEOPLE ARE CONDUCTING NO NOT SOURCES GOING IN WITH A BATTERING RAM TEAR DOWN PEOPLE DOORS COME AGAIN LIKE A SWAT TEAM WHILE PEOPLE EITHER SLEEP ALL CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

DEATH A MILITARY ATTACK IT DOESN'T APPLY TO COMMUNITIES IF NOT CONSISTENT THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

SO WE WANT THOSE TYPE OF A MILITARY ATTACK TO BAN WE WANT TO CALL FOR MORE BACKGROUND SEARCHES ON POLICE OFFICER BEFORE HER BEFORE YOU HAPPILY OFF THE NOT ONLY SHOULD YOU CHECK THE HISTORY, BUT YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK FOR THE AFFILIATION WITH WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUP KKK SCANT HE IS AND ALL THE OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE SAY STOP NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE SAY WE NEED MORE TRAINING THEM HOW MUCH WE SAY WE NEED MORE DIVERSITY IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE RACES DOMESTIC TERRORISTS.

HE'S WAITING ON HIS OPPORTUNITY TO KILL A BLACK PERSON.

>> REVEREND CURTIS GATEWOOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHTS AND FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU GOD BLESS YOU.

>> WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON TWITTER USING THE HASHTAG BLACK ISSUES FORUM.

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