Community honors Ahmaud Arbery on anniversary of his death

Wednesday marks two years since Ahmaud Arbery was murdered by three white men in Brunswick, Georgia.

It comes one day after jurors found Travis McMichael, his father Greg and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan guilty on federal hate crime charges stemming from Arbery’s killing.

Ahmaud Arbery Day: Events planned Wednesday to honor his life

But today was all about honoring Arbery’s life.

Lawmakers passed a resolution earlier this month making Feb. 23 Ahmaud Arbery Day.

Family members celebrated their Tuesday victory in the federal hate crimes trial with lunch at Silver Bluff Brewing Company.

“I think they’re extraordinary people. I think they’re growing in their efforts and their willingness to go through so much challenge and so much trauma through the trial process for the sake of the greater good,” Rachel Bregman, a Rabbi at Temple Beth Tefilloh, said.

Daryl Jones with the Transformative Justice Coalition told Action News Jax this fight for justice is far from over.

“In order to have 100% justice for Ahmaud. We got to take care of the prosecutor who covered all of this up,” Jones said.

Last year former Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson was indicted over how she handled the Arbery murder case.

Johnson is facing charges of violation of oath of public officer and obstructing police.

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The community gathered in the Satilla Shores neighborhood to remember Arbery. There, a prayer vigil gathered where Arbery was gunned down two years ago.

Madge Merritt Park on Townsend Street was also dedicated to Arbery and renamed in his honor.

Faith leaders tell me it’s also important to have a day to remember so a deadly hate crime like this never happens again.

“What a great opportunity we have here to say we need to know each other better, let’s not be strangers, lets be better friends and cross all the things that divide people in the community,” Bregman said.

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