Mother's Day peace celebration calls for end to city violence

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dozens of people gathered Saturday on Chicago's South Side for a Mother's Day peace celebration calling for an end to violence in the city.

The group of moms gathered to celebrate hope, unity and the power to bring about change.

The march and rally were filled with words of anger against police officers who they believe are responsible for the death of their loved ones. Unlike the recent riots in Baltimore, Saturday night's protest in Chicago remained relatively peaceful.

They are mothers who have lost their children to gun violence. In their cases, they say it was police officers who pulled the trigger.

"They took him away from me unnecessarily, my son's supposed to still be here," said Gloria Pinex, who lost her son Darius four years ago.

Despite the allegations aimed at police, officers were on-hand to protect the protestors as they marched several blocks to the Third District police station. They say their stories are similar to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore. They also want justice.

"This whole thing is to shed light on what they're doing to us, doing to our babies," said Panzy Edwards, who lost her 15-year-old son Dakota Bright.

Earlier, mothers also marched for peace in Englewood and Woodlawn, trying to stop the general gun violence that has affected the entire community.

"This event is about is about demonstrating that mothers really make a difference," said Deirdre Koldyke, Earthheart Foundation.

West Englewood resident Sonya Harper is the organization's 2015 award winner.

"It doesn't matter who you are, what kind of education you have, what community you're from or what they say about you on the news, you have the power to create change in your community," Harper said.

The mothers from both demonstrations said they have a lot in common. Most of all, they say, they still have a lot of work to do.