Protests in Smithtown: Unity in the Face of Hate

On June 7 and 9, I took part in two peaceful protests within Smithtown in the wake of the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of the police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville respectively, and the ongoing movement to address inequality within our society.

Prior to the first protest, I had heard concerns from a few residents that the demonstrations could be problematic. The flyer seemed inflammatory, showcasing a photo of a building on fire from a recent unspecified riot, and the language used by the organizer was characterized as aggressive and perhaps indicative of potential violence. Some even thought the entire event might be fake and another example of far-right groups trying to incite fear in communities. I wanted to find out for myself, so I reached out to the organizer.

Not only was I able to connect with her and confirm she was a real person — Caitlin Matos-Rodriquez, 20, from Central Islip — but she also expressed to me the concerns she was hoping to address with the protests. The issues she wanted to bring up included credit opportunities, real estate, jobs, and the de facto segregation that perpetuates the inequality on our Island and within our communities.

She was not the boogeyman many in my own community chose to characterize her as, nor was she a member of the mainly disorganized and useful scapegoat organization commonly referred to as “Antifa” (short for Anti-Fascist) by those looking to discredit the protests. She was simply a young and passionate activist hoping to rip off the veil that far too many within our communities use to hide from the realities that our neighbors deal with every day.

The first protest on June 7 was truly inspiring. I wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew that Long Island was divided, so I feared that attendance would be low because of that. But I was met with hundreds of folks from across the Island as well as Smithtown residents who chose to stand up and raise their voices as one. The demonstrators held 8 minutes and 46 seconds of collective silence, which signified the amount of time Floyd was pinned to the ground and ultimately killed by a Minneapolis police officer’s knee on Floyd’s neck. I was emotional not only for the grief I felt for Floyd but for the faith that had been restored in my heart upon witnessing the unity and strength before me.

But even in the face of so much solidarity, counter-protesters yelled slurs and even assaulted some of the protesters. One individual who was part of the group attacked posted a video on Instagram of a protester bleeding heavily, claiming that he and some others had approached the counter-protesters hoping to engage in a dialogue, but were instead met with weapons and violence. Police are still gathering information regarding the incident.

Long Island was built through de facto segregation via the practices of redlining, blockbusting, and urban planning namely through the openly racist words and actions of Robert Moses, and it unfortunately continues to this day. But, those who are participating in these protests realize that although our communities were built with the intention to segregate us, unity and racial equality is our future.

Over 1,000 Islanders from all different backgrounds and communities came to Smithtown on the 9th after the violence on the part of the counter-protesters, similar to the response to counter-protesters in Merrick.

The folks who came in response to the pathetic and weak-willed actions of the counter-protesters knew that they represent a better future. The counter-protesters stand for a glorious past that never was, and a present that shouldn’t exist.

These protests on Long Island have been peaceful, and yet are still condemned by many and are often met with violent retribution.

Families from different communities walked side by side, the young and the old held signs and passed out water, and folks of all different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds marched in solidarity. This is the Long Island that I believe in.