Students March To City Hall In Support Of The Black Lives Matter Movement
By Kim Glovas
PHILADLEPHIA (CBS) -- Dozens of students ranging from 5th through 12th grade rallied at the Philadelphia Art Museum Friday morning and then marched to City Hall in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The idea for the rally and march came from 5th grader, Samara Tahir, after the Baltimore riots and the death of Freddie Gray.
"A whole bunch of grownups have been rioting and doing marches but nothing has changed," said Tahir, "So I thought if kids did it, something would definitely change."
The students marched to City Hall where they met with Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. He listened to their questions, and answered each one, then told them what they could do.
"The single most important thing you can do is stay in school," said Ramsey, "Don't be influenced by people, and there will always be someone who doesn't want to do the right thing, don't fall prey to that, continue to focus on what you want."
He also told them to stay active and involved to promote change both within the police department and the community.
Samara Tahir's mother, Adachi Pimentel, is very proud of her daughter.
"She's been really observing and paying attention to what's been going on," said Pimentel, "Especially the last incident in Baltimore, sparked her to want to do something and I think the support that she's received at the school, I'm even more proud of because without that support this wouldn't be able to happen."
Her dad, Jean-Jacques Gabriel said, "The fact that it moved her so much in this way that she sat with, and it wasn't something that we told her this was a good idea, this was completely on her own."
