JusticeFest
An All Day Concert to Celebrate the Lives Stolen by the Police
Story by Wesley Vara
Photospread by Charisse Domingo



Click images to view photo essay

As I was walking downtown I heard a ruckus from a distance which led me to spend my Saturday afternoon in Saint James Park attending the “Forever In Our Hearts” Justice Fest Picnic and Concert 2005. The event, which hundreds attended, was about remembering the life's that were lost due to police injustice.

The event was organized by a family of the community who lost a loved one to police brutality recently. Twenty two year old Eric Kleemeyer was shot to death on January 4, 2005. He was literally gunned down in cold blood while driving his car just outside of his mother's home by officers of the City of Santa Clara Police Department. This occasion was free to the public and had rock and funk bands playing all day.

The vendors were probably plugging the ears when bands like Shepherds Gate, Vertigo, Moreality began releasing aggression and frustrations to the stage. As the sun begins to set The City Stone Band wrapped up with the last performance of the evening   offering   a finally of pyrotechnics and fire works. My heart goes out to the families who lost there loved ones to police injustice.

Also another photospread: