Sheldon, Iowa — A peaceful protest march, designed to attract attention to issues of race, will be held in Sheldon this weekend.
City Manager Sam Kooiker says a group of five local young people approached the City last weekend about holding a peaceful protest this Saturday. Kooiker says the phone call her received last weekend led to a meeting with the group, and Police Chief Scott Burtch, on Tuesday.
(As above) “Chief Burtch and I met with the group on Tuesday. All five (are) students who each either recently graduated, or are currently enrolled at Sheldon High School, (and) are all very nice young people and very interested in social justice. We asked them if there were any specific incidents in Sheldon that they could think of that were a problem, and there really weren’t any to speak of. One had a bad experience several years ago, which Chief Burtch was able to, I think, adequately explain. So they weren’t really pointing to any specific instances here.”
Kooiker says various march-related topics were discussed during that meeting.
(As above) “They also said they were not sponsored by, or associated with, any of the national groups. We did make them aware of the need for social distancing because of the COVID time that we’re in. They’re going to gather on the west side of City Hall, and then walk up the east side of 4th Avenue to the (city) park.”
A similar peaceful march was held in Spencer last week, and Kooiker says he has spoken to officials in that community about the event in their town.
(As above) “I have spoken with officials over in Spencer, and Spencer’s a larger group and it went very well, so we’re confident and hopeful that it will go well here.”
He says he appreciates the fact that the organizers approached, and worked with, the City on the march.
(As above) “We do appreciate this group of well meaning young people coming to us. They weren’t obligated to come to us to tell us they wanted to have a march, and we appreciate them working with us and cooperating with us, and we trust so that will go well.”
In light of recent events across the country, Kooiker made it clear that Sheldon supports its police officers.
(As above) “In Sheldon we strongly support our police department. We have a long serving police force and we have some retirements coming up, and the last thing we need is a situation which is what’s happening across the country, were people don’t want to go into law enforcement because they see what’s happening. We want to send the message that we support our police officers and we support law enforcement and we support the rule of law.”
Saturday’s protest march is scheduled to leave the City Hall parking lot at 5:00 pm, and continue into the evening.
