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‘We have to show that people still care’: Community activists march in Newark in the name of peace

Community activists in Newark took to the streets in the name of peace as part of the Stop the Violence march.

News 12 Staff

Jul 28, 2022, 4:25 PM

Updated 876 days ago

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Community activists in Newark took to the streets in the name of peace as part of the Stop the Violence march.
It comes as the city has seen even more shootings take place the past few months. The city's Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery are behind this, along with the Brick City Peace Collective.
“We want Black Lives Matter to matter to Black people. We should be more outrage when we do it to one another, and I believe we're too quiet on the issue, and that we have to raise the awareness, we have to raise the cry, we have to show that people still care,” says Sharif Amenhotep, co-founder of the Newark Anti-violence Coalition.
From the start of the year up to July 17, Newark has so far seen 82 non-fatal shootings, 26 murders and 665 aggravated assaults.
“My message to the youth is that it's OK,” says Shadee Dukes, co-founder of New Direction. “We're out here with you, it's not just leaving you guys out here on an island and just trying to condemn your actions, but also to be here with you, to listen to you, so that we can better assist you and find out how we can help you.”
The organizations plan to march every Thursday through Aug. 20 when an even larger march against gun violence is set to take place with Mayor Ras Baraka.