At least forty people gathered Friday in Carbondale to rally against police brutality after the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two African-American men who died in police-involved shootings earlier this week.

Carbondale Police temporarily stopped traffic on East Main Street and South Illinois Avenue as protesters marched from the Town Square Pavilion to the police station and back, chanting “black lives matter” and “Whose streets? Our streets.”

Nickoliest Brown, of Carbondale, said he had hoped the community would come together to acknowledge discrimination and violence by police.

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“We have to pull together, because only strength recognizes strength,” he said. “This is for human rights. This is for persevering over all of the negatives. … We are tired of the police shootings, the harassment. We want you to see the positive movement that we’ve got going on here.”

After the march, the group regathered at the pavilion for a candlelight vigil and moment of silence. 

“[The candles] are for every brother or sister who has lost their life to injustice,” Brown said. 

Brown said he did not help organize Friday’s gathering, but  plans to march again Sunday at 9 p.m.

Organizers of Friday’s gathering declined to speak with the Daily Egyptian. 

Carbondale Police could not immediately be reached for comment.

Branda Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].

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