Protesters marched through a Sacramento, California, neighborhood to mark the first anniversary of Stephon Clark’s death.
Black Lives Matter Sacramento organized Monday’s march through the Meadowview neighborhood, reports KCRA. Clark died last year after Sacramento Police officers shot him while he stood in his grandmother’s backyard. He was accused of pointing a weapon at the officers, but the only item found in his possession was a cellphone.
The presence of the demonstrators heartened Clark's family. Approximately 300 people took part.
“My heart’s hurting still, tremendously, honestly,” Clark’s brother Stevante told ABC10.
“I appreciate everybody who came out to uplift and unite [in] my brother’s name and bring the community together,” Stevante added. “Everything went well for the weekend. At the same time, we still want justice and accountability.”
On March 2, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced she would not press charges against the officers responsible for Stephon’s death, as Blavity previously reported.
Stevante said the DA’s decision was “wrong.”
Sequette Clark, Stephon’s mother, admitted marking the day of her son's death is hard for her.
"I resent the word anniversary. I resent anyone referring to [Monday] as 'Zo Day' or 'Stephon Clark Day.' That's not his day," she said.
Clark’s grandmother Sequita Thompson said the officers shot Stephon “like he was nothing,” according to HuffPost.
“I want justice and I don’t want my grandson’s name to be in vain,” Thompson said.
Reverend Al Sharpton was on hand for the demonstration and condemned the district attorney's decision, arguing it sets a troubling example.
“This case is a national disgrace,” Sharpton said on Monday. “You make a legal precedent when all a policeman has to do is say ‘I thought’ and he becomes the judge, the jury and the executioner.”
Despite the setback, Sharpton said the movement isn’t over.
“The legacy is we’re gonna keep marching in Stephon’s name,” Sharpton said. “You might have killed him a year ago, but you can’t kill the movement.”
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