| A Candle Light Vigile for Fouad Kaady When I went to the candle light vigil for Fouad Kaady, I didn't prepare myself mentally for what I had seen. I expected bandanas, angry police officers, and a lot of pissed off people. When I arrived at the square I didn't see that at all. The experience I had at that vigil made me really realize that this actually happens to people like you or me. This happens to totally innocent people. I was brought to tears from what I saw. I saw a sad family, people crying, strangers giving each other hugs, and everyone standing in solidarity, as the cops smirked close by. Everyone was so sad and angry at the police for doing such a thing. How can they get away with a crime like this? I will never forget my experience at that candle light vigil as I hugged complete strangers and cried with them. When I arrived at Pioneer Square with two friends, I saw a large group of people looking nothing like activists. I saw regular people, with regular clothes crying over their son who had been shot by police. I couldn't have a conversation with anyone before they broke out in tears. It really hurts me that this issue is not looked at by the media as such a big deal. It was a real stroke of reality for me and my peers. To see there expression on their faces will tell you their story. As I passed people I heard strangers talking to each other saying words like, murdered, and five shots. The experience was something that I cannot put into words, it was just so horrible the look on these peoples faces whose son had been murdered and his killers will never be brought to justice. When I was sitting and watching people a man approached me and asked what this was all about. I told him Fouad's story and he was very moved by it. Ten minutes later I saw this stranger holding a lit candle and comforting the victim's family. That fact that we have a community of complete strangers that will support those who need support really touched me. It was not something I see every day. As more people came in more people asked questions, and more people had candles in their hands. It was depressing, but amazing that complete strangers stood in solidarity with these people. The corporate media even sympathized with these people and cried with them. The channel 6 newsman cried constantly and really felt angry about the police state we live in. Another corporate media newswoman held a candle and sympathized with this situation. There were never any signs of violence, and no "anarchists" ever showed up. It was an incredibly peaceful vigil. The police mocked us with their presence as we held dripping candles. Some officers I had recognized from reports of police brutality. There were a total of 6 police cars there to make sure this vigil didn't turn into a riot. I wish for once they wouldn't be such assholes. Towards the end of the vigil I saw a crying woman and approached her. Her name was Debra Rubio and she had just lost her son Carlos. She told me that her son had been killed by police recently. She told me in tears that Sandy policemen had threatened her son and her husband that they were going to fuck them up beforehand. She told me that her son had been missing for about 10 weeks and they had just found his bones. Autopsy didn't show anything. The whole time that this happened she was crying extremely hard which gave me a feeling of incredible sympathy. We shared stories and I told her that I was sorry that we have to live in such a system in which murder is considered the right thing to do. She was incredibly nice and told me everything about what happened. She came to this vigil from Sandy because her daughter was dating Fouad Kaady. We both believed that that was a coincidence that her son had died as well as her daughter's boyfriend near similar dates. She told me that one of the police officers that had killed Fouad was named William Bergen; she wasn't sure about the spelling. Her son Carlos was a half Mexican, half white car painter. He liked to ride LowRiders, and enjoyed painting cars. When her son was missing she automatically knew the cops had something to do with it because of previous threats. When no one would listen to her family, her husband asked a cop where his son was and they arrested him for disorderly conduct. She cried and I hugged her and cried a little myself. I'm just so sorry that things like this can be ignored and not brought to justice. She was proud of her son and was devastated of his death. She told me she would keep on fighting until this issue was brought to justice. It was an experience I will never forget. Back To Search Page
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