Wichita police, Black Lives Matter activists to co-host community barbecue
Local leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement are calling Tuesday night's protest in Wichita a success. Now they are celebrating another victory.
Black Lives Matter activist A.J. Bohannon and others met with the Wichita police chief Wednesday afternoon. Bohannon says plans of another protest on Sunday have changed to a cookout between the community and police. Bohannon calls this the first step in bringing both groups together.
Just the day before the meeting, Bohannon led a large protest in northeast Wichita. Bohannon was on the front lines of the protest for the two and a half hour event.
"We know there are a lot of things going on within this city that have been troubling this community for some time now," said Bohannon.
Bohannon and hundreds of others peacefully marched with signs in hand and anger behind voices while focusing their message on local issues.
"I find myself frequently on the side of the road with flashing lights behind me," said Bohannon. "There's definitely racial discrimination going on."
Bohannon's believes it's time to see changes in how African American men are treated.
"(By) lawmakers, all of that," he said. "This is not just against police."
Those changes include cultural competency training for all Wichita Police and new laws for officer-involved shooting cases.
"We definitely was a citizen review board with subpoena power," said Bohannon. "We want an outside prosecutor to come in and look at these police involved shootings."
Leaders of the movement met with Chief Gordon Ramsay Wednesday afternoon. After a lengthy discussion, both parties are excited about the opportunity the cookout with bring.
Bohannon says the cookout will start 6 p.m. Sunday at McAdams Park. Police have agreed to provide the food, and plan to serve it as well.