Escondido, California, Aug. 1 – In solidarity with demonstrations, rallies, and vigils held in cities across the U.S. in honor of the life of Sonya Massey, North County 4 Palestine organized and hosted a candlelight vigil in front of City Hall. Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother of two, called the police for help and was killed in her home in Springfield, Illinois. Police officer Sean Grayson shot her three times, with a fatal shot to the head.
North County 4 Palestine is a community-driven organization that “stands for peace, justice, and freedom for all.”
Vigil organizers placed pictures of Sonya with candles against a palm tree, surrounded by colorful, beautifully arranged flowers.
As more people arrived, a semicircle began to form. Most were young activists, some with candles and flowers to place by the picture of Massey.
Sophie, an organizer with North County 4 Palestine, began by welcoming and thanking everyone for coming out on a Thursday evening. She pointed to the connection between the struggles of Palestinians and people who have been historically oppressed in the U.S. and globally. She said calling the police should not be a death sentence for Black and Brown people or anybody.
Sophie gave some chilling facts about the U.S. criminal justice system, saying, “Over a thousand people are killed by the police in the United States every year, and the numbers in 2024 have passed 750.”
She ended her presentation with a chant, “Say her name,” and the response was, “Sonya Massey!”
Then Sophie introduced speakers from North County Equity and Justice Coalition, Union Del Barrio, and this writer representing the San Diego Coalition to Free Mumia and All Political Prisoners.
Yusef Miller of the North County Equity and Justice Coalition spoke about the history of police violence in San Diego County. He named some of the people killed by San Diego police and border patrol.
Aleah Jinkens died while in San Diego police custody. Alfred Olinga, unarmed, was shot four times by El Cajon police. Valeria Tachiquin, mother of five, was killed by U.S. border patrol agents. These were a few of the names mentioned. He reminded everyone that police terror is real and could happen to any one of us.
The vigil ended with a moment of silence for Sonya and the thousands of others killed by the U.S. criminal justice system.
We must continue to fight and remind each other that the system can never kill our sense of JUSTICE and our struggle for a better world for all people.
Rest in peace and power, Sonya Massey. Your light will never burn out as we continue fighting the injustices plaguing our communities.
Justice for Sonya Massey. Defund! Disarm! Abolish the police.
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