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The NAACP will not be allowed to march next month to mark the one-year anniversary of Andrew Brown Jr's death after officials in Elizabeth City, North Carolina denied a permit application.
According to the News & Observer, the Pasquotank Chapter of the national civil rights organization was planning a 1.1. mile march on April 21 at 5 p.m. in honor of Brown, who was fatally shot by police last year. Soon after submitting the application, the local branch got a call from the deputy city clerk who asked about the march's purpose.
"I told them it was the 'Journey to Justice,'" Keith Rivers, president of the Pasquotank NAACP Chapter told the newspaper. "She said that was the anniversary of Andrew Brown's murder. I said, 'Yes, it is.' She wrote that in."
Days later, the group received a message stating that their permit had been denied on the recommendation of the chiefs of the fire and police departments.
Rivers contacted the police chief, who told him the department could not support the march.
"They just had a marathon here that shut the whole city down," Rivers said. "We're marching one mile. We have had nothing but nonviolent protests. We have been out here every day for Andrew."
Last year, a group of local police officers opened fire on Brown as he was driving away from the home where they attempted to execute a search warrant. Brown was struck several times, including a fatal shot to the back of the head. He was unarmed at the time.
District Attorney Andrew Womble decided not to bring criminal charges agains the officers, ruling the fatal shooting was "justified."
Since then, the local NAACP chapter has marched along a busy street on a daily basis for months without incident.
"Every day somebody has marched that street for Andrew," Rivers said. "We have not missed a day. Not during the snow. Not during the tornado."
City Council member Darius Horton, who participated in demonstrations last year, told the News & Observer that the permit application never reached the City Council.
"We were not even made aware. I'm in full support of this march," Horton said, vowing to get some answers about the permit's denial.
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