‘No Lives Matter Until Black Lives Matter’ News, Page 3 Classifieds, Page 10 Classifieds, v Opinion, Page 4 Regional Park People at Fairfax City’s Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday observe 8 minutes, 46 Lands Acreage seconds of silence in George Floyd’s honor. News, Page 2 Requested in home 6-12-20 home in Requested Time sensitive material. material. sensitive Time Attention Postmaster: Postmaster: Attention ECR WSS ECR Drive-in Movie Theater Customer Postal 322 # permit Easton, MD Easton, PAID Opens in Lorton Postage U.S. News, Page 9 STD PRSRT Photo by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection Photo June 11-17, 2020 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com News Photo by Susan Laume/The Connection Occoquan Regional Park to continue improvement with more space, natural trails, shoreline. Regional Park Lands Acreage New parcels grow At the Occoquan park, land donation by a commer- cial real estate company will add 32 acres and a half two parks. mile of shoreline. The newly acquired land, which abuts the current park, provides a logical extension of By Susan Laume the park, according to Paul Gilbert, Executive Director, The Connection NOVA Parks. Gilbert notes that while no plan has been adopted yet for its development, it will likely be best OVA Parks will mark the acquisition of suited to natural surface and boardwalk trails rather land to add acreage to two existing parks than an extension of the nearby paved loop trail. with ribbon cutting ceremonies; this Previously used as temporary warehouse space, week at Occoquan Regional Park, in Lor- the property is no longer needed by Colchester Land N Graphic courtesy NOVA Parks ton, and later, in July, at Pohick Bay Regional Park, located on Mason’s Neck. See NOVA Parks, Page 7 Red areas include donated property joining the park system. 2 v Burke / Fairfax / Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton / Springfield v June 11-17, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News ‘No Lives Matter until Black Lives Matter’ People speak their minds during a powerful Fairfax City event. By Bonnie Hobbs Photos by Rich Condit The Connection The front edge of the group leading protesters along Burke Centre Parkway. ot even the 90-degree heat could match the fire and passion of the Burke Residents Join Nnearly 3,000 people who gathered Saturday afternoon in Fairfax City’s Old Town Square to show that Black Lives Matter. Calls for Racial Justice The June 6 peaceful protest was organized by Fairfax High stu- he area residents gath- dents, joining with people across ered along Burke Centre the nation and world, after George TParkway on Thursday, Floyd’s murder. June 4, to join nationwide pro- Because of the pandemic, they tests against racism and racial wore masks, but they carried signs injustice. Passing cars honked with powerful messages, and sev- their horns in solidarity, neigh- eral shared their stories with the bors held up homemade signs crowd. Meanwhile, drivers passing Photos by Bonnie Hobbs/The Connection and chanted together, and the by honked their horns in solidar- Students and area residents during the somber 8 minutes, 46 sec- whole group walked for blocks ity; and often, attendees chant- onds of silence for George Floyd. in support of the black lives ed “Black Lives Matter,” “George matter movement. The amount Floyd,” “I Can’t Breathe” and “No Justice, No Peace.” of donations received from Fairfax Academy counselor Maria Martin experi- community members not only enced racism growing up in Michigan. So, she said, helped all the people attending Leila Echchadhi informs the “It’s important finally being able to have a platform, the protest, but multiple pro- crowd where the medical take a stand and speak up for people who can’t. My tests in the area afterwards. tent and free water is. husband’s a law-enforcement officer, and there are so many good ones, but that’s not good enough anymore. The bad ones are overshadowing them right now, and we’ve got to get rid of them.” Fairfax High teacher Bruni Herring recalled shop- ping for college supplies with her mother in Wool- worth’s in New York City, where she grew up. “My mom opened her purse to get her shopping list, and an employee followed us around the store,” said Her- ring. “She believed my mom was shoplifting and told her manager. My mom gave him some choice words, dropped everything and we left. She told me, ‘We’ll never shop here again.’” Herring sang the black national anthem, “Lift Ev- ery Voice and Sing,” during the protest. She attended because, “As a teacher of color, I’m always telling my students we all have a voice, we all matter. Whatever our race, religion or gender, we’re all human – and I Hasan Crawford leads a chant as the group marches along want them to know love conquers hate.” Burke Centre Parkway. A MOTHER told the crowd, “We aren’t born racist, so we have to be able to raise anti-racist children – it David Broder and daughter Lucy, 7-1/2, let their starts at home. And elections have consequences, so signs speak for them. don’t forget to vote.” Talking about police brutality, a Philadelphia wom- “I’m always in their corner.” And another white wom- an told how, one morning at 6 a.m., “Six police offi- an said white silence must end and people should be cers broke down my door with a battering ram, look- educated about racism. ing for my boyfriend. People say, ‘Aren’t you afraid to One speaker said, “It’s not enough that George live in Philly?’ and I say, ‘No, I’m afraid of the police.’” Floyd’s murderers are charged; we want them in pris- “We know that silence is violence,” said Erich Di- on.” She called for police defunding so more money Cenzo, Fairfax Academy’s Musical Theater/Actors could go toward healthcare and social services. And, Studio director. “To all the students here today, you’re she added, “We’re going to keep marching every day on the right side of history. This is not a fad – keep until all killer cops are in prison and this country is a speaking out.” He said he was proud to stand by his safer place for all of us.” students to represent the diversity comprising Fairfax Yet another woman said, “We like to think Fairfax High and FCPS. County is different and police brutality doesn’t hap- Elementary-school teacher Evie Korovesis came to Bailey Johnson of Burke marches with a sign. support her black friends and let her students know See Protest, Page 5 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Burke / Fairfax / Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton / Springfield v June 11-17, 2020 v 3 Opinion www.ConnectionNewspapers.com @BurkeConnection Fairfax NAACP: Police Must Be Held An independent, locally owned weekly newspaper delivered to homes and businesses. Published by to a Higher Standard Local Media Connection LLC 1606 King Street Fairfax NAACP calls for major changes for man clearly in distress and in need of help. This Alexandria, Virginia 22314 latest video is a testament that Fairfax County Free digital edition delivered to FCPS following assault charge for FCPD. is not immune to police violence. We already your email box. Go to know that use of force is disproportionately connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe n Friday, June 5, Fairfax Police re- wealth’s Attorney moved swiftly to charge of- used against Black members of the community. sponded to a call about a man in ficer Timberlake with assault and battery, an- “Although we saw the county move swiftly NEWS DEPARTMENT: distress in the Mount Vernon area nouncing the charges at press conference on to arrest this officer, we do not know what the [email protected] of Fairfax County. Body-cam foot- Saturday night. official story would be without body cam and O Kemal Kurspahic age and bystander video reviewed by the Fair- bystander video. Most officers in Fairfax are not Editor ❖ 703-778-9414 fax NAACP appears to show a man in distress, equipped with a body camera and the Board of [email protected] however, he does not appear to be a danger “The community needs Supervisors has chosen to delay the roll out of to himself or others. FCPD Officer Tyler Tim- body-worn cameras. Andrea Worker berlake arrived on scene and immediately de- “The community needs increased account- Contributing Writer increased accountabili- [email protected] ployed his taser. The first officer on scene, who ability and transparency for its officers. And we spent the first few minutes of the tape trying ty and transparency for need to reduce the interaction of Black people Jean Card to calm the man down, is confused and says, with armed officers because we see time and Production Editor “Does he have warrants?” its officers.” time again that we are viewed as a threat. This [email protected] Timberlake than put his knee on the back of — Sean Perryman, incident should never have happened.” this man’s neck, while both cops and at least The Fairfax NAACP is working with individu- ADVERTISING: two EMTs piled on to the man as he cries out: Fairfax NAACP President als and ally organizations to develop a host of For advertising information “Deedee, I can’t breathe.” changes to the way policing is conducted in the e-mail: [email protected] Timberlake used his taser on the man at least Fairfax NAACP President Sean Perryman: county. Advocating for how police respond to 703-778-9431 two more times while he was already facedown “I commend Chief Roessler and Common- people in mental health distress is just one such on the ground.