Hundreds attend Beaufort March: ‘As long as inequality exists the quest must exist’

Pastor James Moore greeted police officers standing on the route during a march for justice through downtown Beaufort Sunday afternoon.

“Bless you,” Moore said to one. “Thank you, sir.”

“Happy Father’s Day,” he said to another.

Moore, pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Seabrook, was one of more than 400 people who rallied at Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park and marched a mile through downtown Beaufort.

The march was to commemorate those “who cannot speak anymore.”

The pastor was greeted by everyone from teens to older couples as he made his way along the route.

As Moore and others in the march passed, workers from businesses in downtown Beaufort held signs of support.

Mayor Billy Keyserling said he visited every business along the parade route the night before. He says he asked the merchants to “form wall of love.”

“We have people who are hurting and issues we can address,” Keyserling said.

Valeria Richardson, a native of Beaufort and Bluffton resident, attended the rally with her family. She carried a sign and made signs for others.

“400+ years later,” said the sign Richardson carried. “Still racism. Whyyyyyyy.”

It isn’t the first protest Richardson has attended.

She said it is important to take a stand for justice and equality.

“As long as inequality exists the quest must exist,” Moore told the crowd before the march. “We march because God gave us breath and we will breathe.”

Event organizer Harold “Mitch” Mitchell said the march was a kickoff to bring attention to issues that need to be discussed nationally and locally.

He said Sunday that multiple people plan to meet in upcoming weeks to talk about solutions locally.

“We don’t want bad things to happen but when they happen there is an opportunity for change,” Mitchell said.

Moore has suggested a panel that keeps watch on issues pertaining to abuse and hiring at police departments in the county.

This story was originally published June 21, 2020 at 9:31 PM.