Black Lives Matter
Jayme Stevenson online Chamber talk June 20 2020

First Selectman Describes Town’s Response to Nationwide Concerns About Racism and Police Brutality

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Darien police have longstanding policies that already meet some of the calls for policing reforms since the death of George Floyd, First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said in an online talk given Tuesday morning. Police officials have had discussions with leaders of a Black Lives Matter march in town, and more are expected, she said. Public discussions and events organized by town groups are also expected, she said. But Stevenson said she’s concerned about the lack of respect in some of the discussions she’s heard in town about issues of race and police brutality. “We all have a lot to learn,” Stevenson said.

Government & Politics
PJ protest march June 7 2020

SIDEBAR: Three Speeches from Sunday’s Black Live’s Matter March

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These were three speeches given before or after at Sunday’s Black Lives Matter march through Darien. You can find quotes from them and other speeches in this related article, but these full texts may add to further understanding the event:

Editor’s note: These statements were recorded, although occasionally [as noted within brackets] some of the words couldn’t be heard. PJ’s Speech
One speaker, identified only as “PJ,”:

I moved here 22 years ago with my family. I’m very proud of my children, very proud of their voice, and I want to add something to their voice. I want to add something to this town that I love, this town that I grew up in, this town I live in, this town that I work in, this town where my friends are, and everything.

Government & Politics
Marchers protest march black lives matter June 7 2020

Several Hundred March in ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protest Through Downtown on Sunday

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After a brief rally in the Trader Joe’s parking lot on Sunday afternoon, several hundred people decrying racism and police brutality in recent deaths marched to Darien Police Headquarters in a peaceful demonstration. Starting at 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Trader Joe’s, the 1.6 mile march lasted until about 2:20 p.m.

“How many more lives have to be lost in order for change to go into effect?” one of the organizers, Max Johns, told the crowd of 300 to 400. He was shaking as he spoke. “How many more times must we wake up and see people of color marginalized, beaten, arrested and killed?