George Floyd protests: Protester Robert Forbes dies after being hit by car, social media rallies to find driver
On Wednesday, June 3, an African-American man among a group of demonstrators was hit by a car as they marched westbound on California Avenue toward Oak Street in Bakersfield, California. The man, Robert Forbes, in his mid-50s, was then admitted to Kern Medical Center where he remained in critical condition for three days.
On Saturday morning, June 6, Forbes succumbed to his injuries according to a statement by Robert Lewis, his nephew, who believes Forbes was hit intentionally by the driver. The Bakersfield Police Department originally said the incident’s "primary collision factor" appeared to be the pedestrian walking on lanes of traffic outside a crosswalk in the 3100 block of California Avenue and said it was an accident.
"There was no report of any kind of altercation between the driver and the protesters prior to the collision, nor was there any report of the driver accelerating or making movements to indicate he was targeting the pedestrian," the agency said in a news release at 12:43 pm on June 4. "The driver showed no signs of impairment and speed does not appear to be a factor in the collision."
However, the BPD has since changed course and admitted that the investigation is still open, saying several members of the community had posted on social media “regarding their beliefs and statements that the pedestrian in this incident was struck intentionally.”
A final determination for this collision will be made once all the evidence has been collected, and investigative reports have been completed and reviewed, said BPD. A candlelight vigil has been organized on June 6 at 7 pm local time for Forbes as social media rallied to get justice for him. The candlelight vigil is set to take place at the location of the incident.
Many users have resorted to asking for justice while revealing the identity of the man who hit Forbes, angry that the BPD seemed to protect the perpetrator. One user tweeted along with a video, "This man ran over a black protestor and the police would not put him in handcuffs and let him stand around and smoke a cigarette and protected him."
One user tweeted, "Tonight we protest for Robert Forbes. We WILL demand justice for him and for his family. The BPD needs to be held accountable for not only letting the man who hit whim walk free but for EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE TO OUR COMMUNITY. F**K BPD."
Another wrote, "Only BPD would allow the murder of Robert Forbes and let a white man get a white man get away with it. And yet here are some of you wanting to contain the peace and solidarity w those that don't deserve it."
Users also claim to have revealed the man's identity which has not been confirmed by the Bakersfield Police Department. One user tweeted, "Did you guys know the man who ran over Robert Forbes and was let off with no charges at the Bakersfield protest has also been charged previously for assault on his wife and drug trafficking?"
Another wrote, "(Name redacted) - the racist f**k that MURDERED Robert Forbes - has the numbers 14 and 88 tattooed on him which symbolizes the phrase “we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children” he is a f**king white supremacist. How the F**K was this an accident?"
One user wrote, "This man drove into a crowd of protesters in Bakersfield, CA, hitting Robert Forbes. Forbes died of his injuries. Arrest (Name redacted)."