About 200 march in Historic Westside in show of unity, support

J.T. Thomas stood outside his home on Saturday afternoon, filming and shouting encouragement as about 200 people from local churches marched through the Historic Westside to offer support and prayers after days of demonstrations against police brutality.

The marchers didn’t say they specifically supported the Black Lives Matter movement; rather, they wanted to send a message of unity and love to the historically black section of Las Vegas. Thomas said that regardless of why they marched, he appreciated the support.

“This is beautiful to me,” Thomas said as he stood outside his home with his neighbors and a group of children.

The marchers were also associated with City Serve Las Vegas, a religious group that has been offering resources and testing throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

But since the city has experienced days of protests, the group decided to shift its focus on Saturday as a crowd marched through residential streets in the Historic Westside.

Craig Michaelson, the senior pastor at Faith Community Lutheran Church in Summerlin, said the march wasn’t to make a political statement, adding that, “we really don’t want to make this about race.”

“Let’s come into the community and show Christ’s love where it’s needed the most right now,” he said.

The diverse group held signs with slogans such as “We Stand Together,” “All Men Are Created Equal” and “Every National Tribe & Tongue.” At one point, a woman cheered for the group while standing in the doorway of a home, which had plywood in the front yard spraypainted with “Black Lives Matter.”

Lester Johnson stood in his front yard and said “thank you” to the marchers who walked by. The 60-year-old said he attended a Black Lives Matter rally in the Historic Westside on Friday night that drew a crowd of thousands, but he also appreciated the marchers’ message.

“I love it,” he said. “This is not about color; it’s about uniting the country together.”

Protests have erupted in the Las Vegas Valley and throughout the country following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Floyd died when Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into the handcuffed man’s neck for nearly nine minutes.

The majority of protests in Las Vegas have been peaceful, but there have been instances of protesters throwing water bottles and rocks at officers, who dispersed crowds earlier in the week through arrests, tear gas and less-than-lethal bullets.

On Monday night, four officers shot and killed Jorge Gomez, 25, during a protest after police say he raised a gun he was carrying toward officers. There is no body-camera footage of the shooting. Moments earlier, 20-year-old Edgar Samaniego allegedly shot Metro Officer Shay Mikalonis as he was attempting to arrest someone in a crowd in front of Circus Circus.

Mikalonis remained in critical condition as of Friday.

Chantal Perry, 37, said she attended the march on Saturday “to be a part of peace” and offer her prayers.

“That’s the only way we’re going to see a breakthrough in this crazy time,” she said.

Thomas said he has had a contentious relationship with the police throughout his life, even though his own nephew is an officer. During the march on Saturday, two officers walked at the front of the group, as Metro and North Las Vegas Police Department officers followed in their vehicles.

The 54-year-old said it was strange to see the police offer support to a march that could be seen as related to the Black Lives Matter movement.

“That’s a step,” he said. “You got to mend what you broke.”

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.