Marchers gather on the bridge to show their unity | Greene County

Walkers will cross the Hudson River Skywalk and meet in the middle, forming a human bridge and uniting both sides of the river in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The march will end at the Bridge Authority office in Catskill with a rally, speeches and food.

Michael Alertt of Hudson is one of the protest organizers.

“My passion is to help my people in any way.” he said.

The march will take place the day after the 155th anniversary of June 19, when the Emancipation Proclamation was read to enslaved African Americans in Texas.

Saturday will be the second protest for Catskill and the third protest for the Hudson community.

“We chose weekends so people could take time off from work,” Alertt said.

Juneteenth represents the day African Americans were freed from slavery in the United States

“But that’s not the case in our time,” Alertt said. “We have to take this next step to be truly free.”

The choice of the bridge as the location was also important, Alertt said.

“The bridge is a dividing line between Greene County and Columbia County,” he said. “It is a place not to be missed, a central point. We can be seen. We can be heard.

The State Bridge Authority and state police are ready for Saturday’s event.

“NYSBA is working closely with youth organizations as well as local and state law enforcement to ensure a peaceful and safe event, which will take place Saturday at 4 p.m. on the walkway of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, also known under the name Hudson River Skywalk,” according to a statement from the Bridge Authority. “Only minor traffic delays are expected.”

State police will be present at the protest for security reasons.

There are no anticipated changes to traffic patterns, said state police public information officer Steven Nevel, but motorists are urged to avoid the area if possible from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. h.

“If it becomes a problem, we will close the bridge,” Nevel said.

Alertt encourages participants to come with an open mind.

“The more people, the better,” he said. “Come with passion. Now is the time to be heard. If you come, understand the importance of why you are here or come prepared to learn something new.

During Catskill’s first protest on June 4, Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson addressed local law enforcement at the police station.

“I hope the officers here aren’t just there for security,” Johnson said. “I hope they are there to listen and understand that people here are fed up.”

Johnson quoted the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. when speaking of the events in Minneapolis.

“A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Johnson said.

Unlike protests in other cities, protests in Hudson and Catskill would remain peaceful and not destroy businesses, Johnson said.

“We don’t follow, we lead,” he said.

Reverend Catherine Schuyler read the Bible to protesters about how all people are created in the image of God and encouraged the crowd to look around.

“Thank you, oh my God, although we knelt for nine minutes, we got up,” Schuyler said during her prayer.

Outside the Greene County Courthouse, the Reverend Richard Turpin said he believed change was already underway.

“We can’t afford this moment to be swept under the rug,” he said. “We have gone too far now. There are 18,000 police stations in the United States. Eighteen thousand of them will change their formation and their structure. George Floyd is now an American hero.

The movement in the wake of Floyd’s death has “shocked the world,” Turpin said, describing it as “the greatest civil rights movement in the world.”

“We lit the torch of solidarity,” he said. “Enough is enough. The world saw the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Brantley said the fight was not over.

“It doesn’t end there,” she said. “When you see an injustice, talk about it.”

“This won’t stop until our neighbors and friends stop pressing the snooze button and have the courage to stand up for justice for all,” he said. “America, we can do better. America, we will do better.