Protest of Sonya Massey shooting ends with arrest of activist in Fairview Heights
A protest ended with the arrest of a metro-east civil rights activist after demonstrators moved down Illinois 159 in Fairview Heights on Tuesday night.
The protest was spurred with the release of body camera video that showed the chaotic last moments of Sonya Massey, the Black woman who was killed July 6 by a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy after calling 911 for help with a suspected prowler.
Local activist J.D. Dixon led the rally, which begun at an empty storefront in St. Clair Square before occupying a lane of traffic on Illinois 159.
“This isn’t de-escalatory,” Dixon said as police took him into custody. “This is just perpetuating the systemic injustice we were protesting in the first place.”
Police blocked the remaining lanes of traffic to confront the protesters and were showered with insults and taunts as they led Dixon away. Some taunts disparaged the general nature of police while others mocked them for blocking traffic.
After the arrest, the group moved the protest to outside the Fairview Heights Police Department.
Sasha Zemmel, who is often seen at protests beating a drum in rhythm to the chants of the crowd, said the action took away from the main focus on the protest.
“We were here to protest one injustice, and now we have to go protest another,” Zemmel said. “That’s how they work — they cut the head off the snake and hope we disperse. But it doesn’t work, it’s just distracting and makes us even stronger.”
Dixon, who ran as a write-in candidate for mayor of Belleville in 2021, was released roughly an hour and a half after his arrest. He’s been charged in St. Clair County with pedestrian walking on highway, obstructing driver on highway, and obstructing a peace officer.
Fairview Heights Police Chief Steve Johnson gave a statement:
“The people blocked all southbound lanes and were ordered numerous times via loudspeaker to leave the street and walk on the sidewalk. They refused numerous requests and orders by law enforcement officers. Because of the serious safety hazard caused at several intersections, the organizer, Jeffrey M. Dixon, age 36, was removed from the roadway, which would give the other people an opportunity to comply and increase safety for all. Mr. Dixon refused several orders and was placed into custody. He used his body to try and pull away from the officer but was not successful. He was transported to the police department for processing, following all proper protocol, and released, per the SAFE T Act Pre-Trial Release.”
Police said once he was released he joined protesters in front of the building for another hour. Johnson stated that the protest was peaceful and there were no injuries.
“We staunchly protect people’s right to protest but also know safety for all is very important,” he said. “No one was hurt, no damage and their First Amendment Rights were upheld.”
The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Tuesday that it is “assessing the circumstances” surrounding the fatal shooting of Massey, who was unarmed, by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy.
Massey called 911 to report a prowler outside her home in the early morning hours of July 6. About 30 minutes later, the deputies who responded to the call reported shots fired and Massey had been struck by gunfire. Massey had been instructed to set down a pot of boiling water that she had lifted off the stove.
Former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, 30, was indicted on a first-degree murder charge last week. He is being detained until trial. After his arrest, Grayson was fired. The body camera video of the incident was released on Monday.
This story was originally published July 24, 2024 at 11:54 AM.