On the corner of E. Market and Dudley Streets, a small crowd of about 20 people rallied to protest the murder of Jonathan Ferrell. Ferrell was shot and killed by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer on Saturday, Sept. 14. 

Scott Trent, organizer for the Stop Mass Incarceration Network of Greensboro, explained that the group’s purpose is to protest against police brutality, race based mass incarceration and racial profiling.

“Police brutality stops when we make it stop,” Trent said.

For Jessie Barber the death of Jonathan Ferrell hit close to home.

On May 18, 2001, Barber’s 22-year-old son Gilbert was shot and killed by a Guilford County sheriff’s deputy in Jamestown, about 13 miles from Greensboro. Just like Ferrell, Barber’s son was in a car accident in the early morning hours.

Barber said the neighbors heard noise from outside their houses and called the police. Less than two minutes later, after deputy Thomas Gordy arrived on the scene, her son was dead.

“When I heard about Mr. Ferrell it was like de ja’vu,” she said. But it’s like de ja’vu every time they kill somebody, which is often. Way too often.”

The chant, “City cops, we charge you with genocide” was heard by every car that passed the protesters. 

• Ziris Savage