Pro-curfew protest led by Freeman marches to City Hall

A small band of protesters led by Kim Freeman, a school teacher, marched to the City Hall yesterday afternoon to call for a city-wide curfew for youngsters under the age of 18.

The band of about 15 people gathered on Auburn Street, where Freeman provided them various protest signs that read “Power to the Parents” and “Save our Children”, before leading them to the council chamber, where Freeman picked up a verbal fight with Anthony Davis, 1st Ward councilman, while delivering his speech on the positives of a curfew for minors.

Freeman, who was coach to the two teenagers who were shot during National Night Out, told the council, “All minors seventeen and under,” should stay indoors during school hours and after certain hour of the night; he set the hour at 10 p.m. After Freeman finished with his brief speech, Davis responded saying, “In 2005” curfew passed and it was repealed after folks changed their minds. Freeman, said that was curfew for everyone; however, the plan he proposes only curtails the freedom of movement for minors, and does not infringe on the liberties of adults. Freeman took offense, as each time Davis said, “Curfew” he attempted to correct him by saying, “for minors.”

Prior to marching to Market Street, there were roughly about 400 signatures collected on 20 sheets of papers. While settled next to the Danforth Memorial Library, Freeman setup a table to collect petition signatures from folks passing by on Broadway. “If you tired of young people getting shot please sign our petition,” said Freeman to passer-bys, some of whom signed the petition, but quickly left the premises.

The small number that did march with Freeman were sincere, and wished to actually implement a curfew to keep children home after a certain hour of night. Georgianna Pines, one of those who marched said, “Kids don’t have any socializing places.” She says, sometimes innocent minors are outside, not to do ill but responding to basic needs, who end up dead: a teenager going to a store to buy a sandwich after 11 p.m. is an example she cites.

The call did not land on deaf ears, for before the end of the council meeting, Andre Sayegh, the 6th Ward councilman and council president, reiterated his call to revisit the curfew resolution that was passed and later repealed.

A week ago, Freeman attempted a similar march, however he miscalculated and held it during a workshop session of the council meeting rather than a regular televised session. Freeman, admitted to his error to the crowd, and gave a speech in front of the Danforth Memorial Library, ending the spectacle which was attended by about 50 people. Freeman, who says the lack of turn out will not stop him said, “I am going to keep up.”

EJ Belton

I like a curfew for children. To Ms. Pines, who said children out late are only "responding to basic (human) needs": another basic need is SLEEP. It is one of the most important things (along with proper diet) needed to achieve full physical potential and to maintain sharp mental and emotional abilities. ALL children should be not only in the house, but in bed by 10pm. Do your socializing in the daytime like most of society.
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  e.j.Belton,-I would have liked your comment but you blew it on the first line.
  you want curfews?go live in China.
  there's something called parental responsibility.how about forcing parents to be responsible or they get locked up?
  - EJ Belton
    
    Oh yeah. Lock parents up for the actions of their 15 year old. That's much less totalitarian then just making the kids go in the house <—sarcasm. But I will admit I have no idea how enforcement of a curfew would work. Lock them up until the parents pick them up? Take the kids home? Cops are already pulled thin enough without having to be truant officers. They can't even keep kids inside during the daytime when the kids are walking the streets in their school uniforms at 10am!
mark shayland

Paterson, N.J. does not need a curfew…but an enforcement of its Juvenile Laws all ready in place. Why are we making things hard here?…… Now you need a curfew to enforce the Laws???
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Georgianna Pines,“Kids don’t have any socializing places.” (they should be home "socializing" with their family or their place of worship.when they have no support at home they join gangs due to the lack of "belonging" to a group)/"responding to basic needs,who end up dead:a teenager going to a store to buy a sandwich after 11 p.m" (they were shot because they were outside.why couldn't the parent provide their "basic need“ at home,at a decent hour?or buy deli meat and bread,earlier and have it home for when the kid wants a sandwich at midnight,at which time he should have been sleeping to be able to learn at school the next day)
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if we as adults are getting robbed on every corner,regardless of time, what does that say about a parent who is allowing their child outside at all hours? Then they cry and say they love their baby, when the kid gets shot.maybe we need to start teaching the definition of love in kindergarten,so by the time they have kids,they have an understanding of the word.