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A historic number of protests swept the country during the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. Tens of millions of people raised their voices, marched in the streets and demanded justice after the murder of George Floyd.

We saw a swell of unity, anger, hope and action. But looking at what happened just this week in Syracuse, it’s painfully clear: those efforts weren’t enough.​​

Another video of another Black man brutalized by police has surfaced in Syracuse media. While we’re told to wait for all the facts, the images speak for themselves.

What happened on Syracuse’s Bellevue Avenue on April 10 wasn’t just disturbing — it was enraging. A Syracuse Police Department officer punched 21-year-old Jaumar Chandler Jr. in the head during a traffic stop. He was thrown to the ground while his friend was tackled just for asking what was going on.

Now, the department is conducting a “use of force” review as it always does when things escalate beyond reason. Investigation into the violations continues, but Chief Joe Cecile has stated the footage shows “evidence of policy and procedure violations that will be dealt with by way of discipline and retraining.”

While the injustice should raise a number of concerns in the media and public, it’s hard to say I’m surprised by the level of brutality demonstrated.

If you’re Black — especially a young Black man — in America, your existence is often seen as a threat before you even speak.

White officers have targeted Black people and people of color for generations. It didn’t start with George Floyd, Tyre Nichols or any of the other names now ingrained in our minds because of incidents like this.

Cases of police brutality amounted quietly, violently and relentlessly for decades. Every time it’s caught on camera, we go through the same cycle of outrage, promises, reviews and then silence.

Chandler was pulled over because he was driving with a learner’s permit and there was no licensed driver in the car with him. While that was a mistake, it doesn’t justify the fists, knees and force he was met with.

This story has played out in every city and state. Black people are treated as if they’re less than, and don’t deserve patience, respect or even the benefit of the doubt.

Joe Zhao | Design Editor

There needs to be accountability and real change in how police are trained and to engage with communities of color. Further, there needs to be reform in how they’re held responsible when things go too far.

But this change will not materialize if we’re not demanding it.

Millions of people in all 50 states took to the streets for BLM. From massive marches in Washington, D.C., and New York City to small-town gatherings in places that had never seen organized demonstrations before, resistance manifested in the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks.

Right here in Syracuse, hundreds marched, too. They chanted “No justice, no peace” before city hall. They held vigils in Clinton Square. Students, teachers, elders and children all stood together to demand change. For a moment, it felt like something that would last.

But now, nearly five years later, we see nothing has actually changed.

This isn’t just about one bad officer or one chaotic moment; it’s about a system that keeps allowing unjust brutality to go uncorrected. Passive calls for justice aren’t enough.

A system that sees Black skin and assumes danger punishes people more for their existence than their actions. This is a narrative innate to America, and, as the rising generation, it’s our job to correct it.

The problem runs deeper than a weekend of marching can fix, and protest can’t be our only device for reform — we have to expand our fight.

That means writing to local and state officials and demanding transparency from local police departments. Push for funding that supports mental health, housing and education resources instead of more weapons and armor for cops.

We must start and sign petitions that call for real reform, whether that’s removing school resource officers, pushing for body camera access or fighting for civilian review boards with real power.
It’s time to correct the rhetoric, not just the law.

Autumn Clarke is a freshman majoring in broadcast and digital journalism. She can be reached at auclarke@syr.edu.

Published on April 24, 2025 at 12:26 am