On Saturday morning, members of the Samoan community in Anchorage will assemble in front of the downtown offices of the Anchorage Police Department for a significant ceremony known as a march for Easter Leafa. The Samoan community march for justice will bring together Samoan leaders, community partners, and concerned people, all dressed in white as a sign of peace and harmony.
This week, police officers shot and killed 16-year-old Easter Leafa. The march comes after the horrific event that occurred earlier this week. The scenario became more serious, as stated by the Anchorage Police Department, after Leafa, who had threatened her sister with a knife, approached authorities at the Greenbriar Apartments on Tuesday night while carrying the weapon. Following the tragedy that occurred, relatives of the family and influential members of the community are currently looking for justice.
One of the most influential leaders in the Samoan society, Pastor Samuel Fiu Unutoa, highlighted the significance of getting together peacefully. There was a response to his request on Friday when he and other community members met with Chief Sean Case of the Police Department. The chief accepted the invitation to the march and plans to deliver a speech at the ceremony.
The march, scheduled to begin at 11 in the morning, will travel through downtown Anchorage, stopping at City Hall and the courthouse before concluding with a prayer ceremony in Town Square Park. As members of the community gather together to participate in this Samoan community march for justice, the goal is that they can discover a way to move on, find peace, and seek healing after this devastating loss.
This news story was originally published by Alaska News Source.
