Hoover police urge public to stay calm during protests, avoid 'expressions of anger' and retaliation



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I'm Confused

In reference to this statement: Protesters have said their intent is not to physically harm anyone, but to make life uncomfortable for Hoover residents and visitors and to cripple the city’s economy by deterring people from shopping in the city until they get justice. Exactly how is this activity and stated wish for results furthering the cause for justice? Sorry folks, but that's not a request for justice, it's determination to seek revenge. Justice and Revenge are two separate outcomes. The Galleria, as an institution, had nothing to do with the death of the young man. The residents of Hoover, as affected individuals, had nothing to do with it either. Business owners, many of whom rely on holiday sales to survive another year had nothing to do with his death. One person fired the shots that killed him, and one other person fired the shots that initiated the entire chain of events, yet this group of protesters seem willfully blind to the fact that the persons, companies and institutions they are intent on inconveniencing are in no way responsible. When this tragedy happened, I was absolutely in favor of complete transparency as soon as possible, and I still am. That the City, the Hoover PD, Hoover citizens and the protester group are all at the mercy of ALEA is a fact that again, seems willfully overlooked by the group. This group claims...loudly...that they demand answers, yet they are not demanding the answers from the organization that has them. These protesters should go to Montgomery, march in front of ALEA headquarters and see if they get their answers any faster. Stopping traffic on Hwy 31, acting up in a restaurant and in front of a shoe store doesn't seem to be lighting a fire under ALEA. Of course...it is getting certain people on the news in a fairly regular fashion. Maybe that's important to them?

Jay more than 1 year ago

Not even Hoover residents

I have heard that most of the protesters are not even Hoover residents - just outsiders causing problems in our city - that's why they are trying to "shut it down" - because they don't even live here nor care about any consequences of their actions. Blacks, whites BOTH (from whom I have spoken with) want them gone and believe the facts and video will come out as they always do in DUE PROCESS. The investigative time line does not change just because of outsiders making this a race issue. Hopefully it's resolved soon and we can resume our normal lives and get closure for EJ's family.

Raymond B more than 1 year ago


Hoover police ask non-protesters to "avoid expressions of anger and frustration"; absolutely do not. The protesters are voicing their expressions of anger and frustration; non-protesters should voice their own expressions of anger and frustration with protesters disturbing the peace of npn-protesters who had absolutely nothing to dowith the shooting. The Galleria is private property, and as such its owner has the right to have the protestors removed if they do not leave upon request. i previously urged everyone go shopping at the Galleria during the protests, but if the Galleria does not excercise its right to have the protesters removed so everyone else can go to the Galleria in peace, non-protesters should stop going to the Galleria. If the Galleria wants the support of non-protesters, the Galleria should support non-protestors by having the protesters removed. This is pretty simple, so what is the Galleria waiting on? For a riot break out or until violence occurs (between protesters and non-protesters, which is easily foreseeable and which is something certain protesters seem to want).

Barry frederick more than 1 year ago

Why would anyone feel safe?

Lets review ... there was a shooting ... Hoover police officer shoots a black man running from the area 3 times in the back ... the officer opened fire and did not tell the man to get on the ground, then lies about the murder, then changes their story multiple times, refuses to release video to the public or identify the officer.

Now why would anyone feel safe with the police around? Just shoot, kill, try to cover it up later while the real culprit walks free for several days.

Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside ... doesn't it do the same to you?

Phill more than 1 year ago

Coverage of Hoover Protests

Thank you, Hoover Sun, for your generally fair and evenhanded reporting on the tragic killing of EJ Bradford and of the protests following Hoover's initial mishandling of that incident. Your reporting on these events is much better than the majority of media sources, such as AL.com, which might as well be broadcasting the unedited press releases of the so-called Justice League and it's hot-headed so-called leader Carlos Chaverst Jr. As you put it in this article, many Hoover residents, such as me, are sympathetic towards the Bradford family and want them to get the answers and closure they need and deserve, but also deplore the reckless and anarchic tactics of the protesters who want to destroy businesses and livelihoods for people who had nothing to do with the killing of Bradford, including many African-Americans who live and work and own businesses in Hoover. In their zeal to promote justice for EJ, these protesters should not create injustices for others. Yes, Black Lives Matter, but so do black livelihoods, as well as the livelihoods of people of all races. How many single moms depend on their job at the Galleria to put food on their table? And when the protesters threaten to (and actually do) release names and addresses of officers they claim are responsible for EJ's killing, and when they do so after inflaming their fellow protesters with fiery, racially charged rhetoric, they are implicitly advocating for mob violence and vigilante justice -- not the direction we want to move in as a society. Everyone benefits from due process. At some point, enough is enough with these protesters. They are damaging their own cause, needlessly alienating people who would otherwise support their goals, and essentially declaring war on our community by flouting the rule of law and by aiming to generate unfocused economic devastation. I applaud the mayor and city council (especially Derrick Murphy) for making the best of a bad situation after the deplorable way in which the city initially handled it. They are being more than fair. The police are being more than fair now, remaining patient and professional while the protesters engage in juvenile race-baiting insults and abuse. But at some point, we need to draw the line. We stand against racism, not just from police officers, but also from protesters. We stand against injustice, AND we stand for the rule of law. We need the city leaders to draw definite boundaries to protect the rights and livelihoods of Hoover residents. As long as the protesters respect those rights and livelihoods, let them protest. But when they cross those lines and declare war on the fabric of our society, our livelihoods, and the rule of law, then they need to be dealt with as the antisocial criminals that they are showing themselves to be.

Daniel D more than 1 year ago

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