The grounds of the Kentucky State Capitol shook with song, chants and passionate speeches at a rally held for Breonna Taylor on Thursday.
Taylor was shot and killed at her home on March 13, by Louisville Metro Police officers who were serving a no-knock warrant. Since then, none of the officers involved in the incident has been arrested.
Protesters, many of whom drove from Louisville to attend the rally, prominently noted the fact that it had been more than three months – or 100 days --- since Taylor lost her life. The length of the investigation has angered and frustrated people like Rhonne Green.
Green said that if it were a Black civilian involved in a shooting, such a gap in justice would not exist.
“If it was one of us, a Black man or a Black woman, [arrests would’ve happened] instantly,” he said. “Them, y’all prolonging it. For what? Lock they a** up, prosecute them and handle business. Or like we said – no justice, no peace.”
Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, attended the rally. Joining her were figures from the political, music and acting worlds.
Among those at the State Capitol were Common and Jada Pinkett Smith, along with Kentucky legislators Attica Scott and Charles Booker. During his time at the podium, Common led a chant of Taylor’s name, following it with a poem he wrote in her honor.
“The date Breonna took her last breath was the date I took my first breath,” he said. “March 13 is my birthday, and I will always honor Breonna on that day. And to the spirit of Breonna, I want to say, ‘I’m sorry we had to meet this way.’”
Cherrie Vaughn, who brought her three children from Louisville to attend the rally, called the day “historic.”
She said the environment brought to mind the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.
“To me, this is like being alive when Martin was alive and when Malcolm was alive, and when they would go to certain cities because there were lynchings and things that were happening,” she said. “They would go into those cities and rally and team up together to make more of an impact, to make those voices louder.”