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Rappers Snoop Dogg and The Game led peaceful march to LAPD headquarters
The Calfornia natives joined forces to help create healthy dialogue between police and citizens
Early Friday morning, The Game posted a picture of himself, standing alongside fellow rapper Snoop Dogg — each man wearing shades with their hands crossed in front of them, standing in solidarity. In the photo, the California natives looked as if they were ready to be the change they wish to see in the world, and used a lengthy Instagram caption to call others to action.
The caption, which read more like an ad, detailed their mission.
“Calling all African-American men, Mexican-American men and any other race of real men with the heart to stand with us today and walk peacefully to the LAPD [Los Angeles Police Department] headquarters,” part of the caption read.
“Leave all women and children at home … This is our mission for them” is the line that followed, bracketed and in all caps.
The caption also included an important warning:
“Do not bring any weapons or anything illegal. Do not come high or belligerent. We don’t need any hot heads or anyone there for the wrong reasons. We will stand as we are: unified. I’m calling all gangs, all races, all grown men affiliated or not and we will stand unified! Our numbers are all the weapons we need!”
The peaceful march, which the group began planning before dawn, attracted about 50 men, according to a Los Angeles Times article. The rappers used social media platforms to spread the word and document their journey while sharing stories and speaking to marchers who joined them along the way.
On Friday, 40 LAPD recruits graduated from the police academy. The marchers peacefully watched the ceremony.
The graduation and march were held less than a day after police officers were ambushed by a lone gunman in downtown Dallas during a demonstration. Five of the officers died and seven were injured. The rappers hoped this march would create healthy dialogue and ease some of the fears and tension that often accompany the relationship between police officers and the community.
“We’re getting some dialogue with the LAPD, the new recruits, the graduating class of 2016,” Snoop Dogg said in an Instagram video.
“This is how you make moves: You make it happen. You get some dialogue, some understanding with the new recruits before they hit the streets so that way they know that we just like them. We’re trying to live and go home and get some understanding, so we advise y’all to do the same.”