OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – After peaceful protests in Oklahoma City, OKC Police Chief Wade Gourley is responding to both the death of George Floyd and protesters concerns.
“When I saw that, I couldn’t believe that a police officer, someone sworn to uphold the law and protect the public, would sit there with their knee across someone’s neck and just let that man suffer. Everything that they’re mad about, we’re mad about too,” said Gourley in a video posted to YouTube Wednesday.
Oklahoma City Black Lives Matter leaders asked for both an apology and the resignation of Gourley earlier this week. Gourley did not address the demands but said, “As the leader of this organization, I’ve gotta do better. We both gotta do better. We’ve all gotta do better.”
Gourley went on to say that improvements have to be made.
Protesters Wednesday night said they watched the video and again showed up at police headquarters to protest.
“Actions will always speak louder than words. Just posting a video and saying that you’re gonna do something isn’t really enough,” said Cedrick Semmions, a protester.
Another protester, Brooke Petters, said, “He had the nerve to post on YouTube instead of come talk to us. If you really cared, you’d be out here with us.”
Others say the video is a step in the right direction.
“We are making progress, we got the mayor here last night, but finally getting a response from the second person we’ve been asking for, which is the chief, it shows us that we’re being heard,” said a protester, who identifies as Vaedrex.
Still, some say it’s just not enough.
“People would actually believe him if he would come out,” said Alleena Jackson.
“I don’t feel like it was real. I feel like it was definitely for publicity. I definitely feel personally as if he needs to resign,” said Sincere Terry, who has been out protesting since Saturday.
Chief Gourley says he promises to do better and to listen, ending his video with saying, “Black lives do matter, it should to everyone, everyone in this community.”
Some members of BLM at Wednesday’s protest say they still stand by their demands and will continue to protest until they are met.
