Citizens protest against city, Hunter

Citizens for Justice protest outside the doors of city hall. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Michael Lee King and community activist Fannie Butler exchage opinions after Tuesday's demonstration. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Some of the Citizens for Justice members rode down Main Street in a trailer covered in posters. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

By Shelley Smith

ssmith@salisburypost.com

What was proposed as a group demonstration against “historic gentrification initiatives” by the city of Salisbury turned into a protest Tuesday against police, city officials and judges.

Citizens for Justice, a group led by John Edward Jones and Michael Lee King, marched down Main Street to City Hall chanting, “Justice now,” and “Get rid of Hunter.”

Men, women and children held signs that read, “Who’s next?” and “America, Home of the Free?”

Once at City Hall, Jones spoke out against Salisbury Police Officer Mark Hunter and District Court Judge Beth Dixon.

“We’re concerned about the justice here in Rowan County,” he said, citing a recent case in which Hunter arrested Felicia Gibson.

“He has harassed people,” Jones said. “He did what he wanted to because he has a gun on his side.”

Gibson was standing on her porch using a cell phone to record Hunter making an arrest and refused to go back in her house when he ordered her to.

She was found guilty in court earlier this week of resisting, obstructing and delaying the officer.

Jones said he didn’t agree with Dixon’s ruling in the case or past rulings in cases involving law enforcement officers.

“We go to court for justice,” he said. “The courts put a label on the black people. ... We thought this had gone away.”

Citizens for Justice began chanting, “Dixon needs to go,” and King took over the microphone.

“Officer Hunter and no other officers have the right to tell you to put your video camera down,” he said. “And no right to go on your porch.”

There was no testimony during Gibson’s trial that Hunter told her to stop recording.

King criticized the city and its code enforcement officers, saying one kicked down the door of a 75-year-old woman’s house while she was home. It was one of several homes owned by King’s brother that were the basis for the demonstration permit.

He argued the city uses its code enforcement to further a “gentrification” agenda.

“Salisbury wants to be known as a historical city, but Salisbury’s policy has become hysterical,” he said.

Following the demonstration, community activists Fannie Butler and Dee Dee Wright asked King why they never see him at Salisbury Neighborhood Action Group meetings.

“We address concerns of the community at the West End Community Organization meetings and during SNAG meetings,” Butler said.

Wright said King’s speech was like comparing soup to nuts.

“I didn’t get the point,” she said. “I’ve never seen him at any events. He’s been a provocateur, and I don’t agree with that.

“If you have a purpose and you want to show your dissatisfaction, then that’s fine. There was no congruity in anything he was saying. He was disrespectful. You have to want to give respect to get respect.”

Salisbury city officials say the demonstration was an attack on the city and it’s employees, and was not what the group described the purpose of the event to be when they met with city officials for permits.

According to Salisbury Police Chief Rory Collins and Doug Paris, assistant to the city manager, King wrote on the permit application his purpose was “to highlight the unjust Salisbury City policies against the poor with its historical gentrification initiatives.”

King, John Jones, and other members of Citizens for Justice spoke to Mayor Susan Kluttz, Salisbury City Councilman William “Pete” Kennedy, City Manager David Treme, City Planner Joe Morris, Collins and Paris to discuss the permit request.

But, Collins and Paris said the bulk of the meeting involved discussion of four homes on 11th Street owned by King’s brother, John King, and King’s problem with the city inspecting the properties through an administrative warrant.

Paris said he told King the city and city attorney looked into the warrant and found it to be appropriate.

“The conditions are appalling and deplorable” at the 11th Street homes, Paris said. “Our citizens deserve better than that. It’s just not acceptable.”

Paris said exposed electrical wiring, mold inside the homes, residents using a bucket for a bathroom and other conditions warranted response from code enforcement. Paris said King also requested grant funding to repair the properties but noted that King has never applied.

“He wants to talk about everything else except the issue at hand,” Paris said of the King’s comments during the demonstration. “Our citizens deserve better than these conditions. In fact, these are the conditions the citizens should be rallying against.”

“In that meeting, there were no complaints or discussion about personnel matters,” Collins said. “The meeting had nothing to do with what he (King) talked about today.”

“He’s trying to muddy the waters,” Paris said.

Contact Shelley Smith at 704-797-4246.