Starkville Stand Up rally marches through downtown, MSU campus

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – In Starkville, protesters marched from Unity Park to the Mississippi State University amphitheater.

“Black Live Matter. Black Lives Matter.”

These words echoed through the streets of Downtown Starkville Saturday.

Protesters also chanting the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor– two recent victims of alleged police brutality.

“I just hope that everybody here, you see a lot of diversity here, I just hope that everybody here takes away that, we can come together at the end of the day. Unity is the big word for that. We can all show our support together. It doesn’t have to be one side versus the other side,” said protester Brianna Holley.

Holley is a student at Mississippi State University.

She took to the streets with her sign Saturday, but she said there are other ways to make a statement.

“You don’t necessarily have to be out here marching. You can show your support in other ways. You can sign petitions. You can donate. Use your voice of social media, one of the biggest platforms. So, you don’t necessarily have to be out here marching, but you can also just show that you support in many other ways,” said Holley.

It’s through this support that many attendees believe true change will come.

“It gives me hope that if we keep going and give young people a chance to have their voice heard, change is going to come,” said protester Elaine Rush.

Asishana Anunega-ajayi, is an exchange student from Africa. He said black American’s aren’t the only ones affected by systematic racism.

“If I’m stopped by police, they don’t see an African. They see a black man. So, the struggle is the same for all of us,” said Anunega-ajayi.

The protest also featured a tribute to George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Protestors were asked to lay on their stomachs as Floyd’s last words were read aloud.

“We are all one people. No race is better than any other race. At the end of the day, spreading love should be the main focus and the main goal,” said protester Jarod Braggs.

Saturday’s march was from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be a Jesus and Justice prayer walk in Columbus Sunday starting 4 p.m. starting at the Columbus Police Department.