US: 16-year-old leads peaceful protest in Detroit over Floyd's death, hailed by activists

A 16-year-old Stefan Perez is being hailed as “already a leader” after directing peaceful protests over George Floyd’s death in Detroit. The teenager, not only took charge of the situation and made announcements on the megaphone but also urged people to get home safely before the 8pm curfew started on June 1. The activists, and other supporters who had assembled to protest against racial discrimination and police brutality like those in other major cities, have praised the Detroit teenager who tried to ‘keep everyone together’.

While talking to a Detroit media agency about taking the lead role in the peaceful demonstrations of the area, the 16-year-old said that he just tried to keep everyone together during the march. Perez also recalled at the end of the rally that the fact he was able to stop the demonstrators from causing any ‘trouble’ now makes him ‘smile at that moment’. Perez noted that he was grateful for people who listened to him and ‘followed’ him into the battle. The teenager who is reportedly Black, Mexican, Puerto Rican and Nicaraguan, got on his knees in the middle of Michigan Avenue and yelled at protesters to get back home through the megaphone.

The images from the protests showing the 16-year-old instructing people from all age groups have taken over social media. One of the internet users even said that the 16-year-old is ‘braver than most people at his age’. Perez, who is not affiliated to any political group, and has credited his presence and involvement in the social issues to his grandmother. Perez’s leadership on June 1 was more commendable because just a night before, the demonstrations in Detroit had faced harsh retaliation from the police officers who fired rubber bullets because people refused to go home at the first night of curfew. 

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Detroit mayor lauds Perez

Stefan Perez has also told the media outlet that he was not the only one who was behind leading the peaceful demonstration and added that ‘I had a lot of help’. According to a local newspaper, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan was impressed with the teen handling the situation and taking the lead role. Both Perez and Duggan even talked on the phone when the Detroit mayor confessed being ‘teary-eyed’ on watching Perez directing the protesters through live stream. Duggan told the 16-year-old on the phone, while the teen was being interviewed, that ‘you are everything that is special about the city of Detroit’.

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