Three strangers gather at downtown Lafayette corner to peacefully protest racial injustice

Matthew Korey, Michelle Richardson Stokes and Christian Carrera were all strangers before deciding to protest together peacefully at the corner of 3rd and Columbia Streets on Wednesday.

To the county courthouse and voice their concerns.

News 18's anna darling ran into a small group of complete strangers on the corner of third and columbia this evening.

She shares what brought them all together.

/nat: ohhh, i said let us breath let us breath/ these three people had never met before 5 oclock wednesday afternoon.

But they have one thing in common... "i just really felt the need to do something" "we have to fight the cause together and that's what we're doing" "we're all humans, and we're all beautiful" matthew korey stood at the corner of 3rd and columbia for hours.

"i've been going to the other protests this week and after everything that happened yesterday especially in washington dc i just really felt the need to be out here and let people know what happened" and his tenacity inspired others to join him.

Michelle richardson stokes works at the tippecanoe county building.

"i was on my lunch break and i saw this young man standing out here and i had my car in the sign from sunday and i said when i get off work i'm going to go out here and stand with this young man" christian carrera joined soon after with his guitar.

/nat/ "i got off work and when i saw him i was like, yeah bro.

When i got home i was like, i have to help him" /nat/ "living in lafayette for 41 years, you will experience it and it is going to go on, racism is not going to die but we will have to put a cap on it."

Michelle says unity is important for the end goal she would like to see happen.

"reform, training police officers a whole different way..

Because i never want to know how george floyd's mother feels, i never want to know how tamir rice's mother feels.

I don't want to know how trayvon martin's mother feels, i don't want to know that" matthew says he was very happy for the company and the support.

"i think this is a nation wide movement going on that's really motivating people and i was just happy to be a part of it" "let us shed all the hate from the world and become one humanity...let us breath" anna darling news 18 chief meteorologist chad evans joins us now with the first