BLM protests continue in Valley Stream

When the Tuosto brothers, Tiandre, 25, and Terrel, 28, both from West Hempstead, heard the story this past week of Valley Streamer Jennifer McLeggan, who said she was being racially harassed by neighbors, they thought it fitting that the Black Lives Matter protest they organized at Fireman’s Field on Monday would be in her name.
“It is all over the internet that Jennifer is being harassed by her neighbors, who keep putting feces on her lawn. They don’t want her in Valley Stream because she’s Black,” Tiandre said. “We’re here for Jennifer. Through this protest we hope to open a dialogue for people to talk and for a message to be brought across to them that we all want to be treated equally. We won’t stop marching until change comes.”
McLeggan, a single mother, said she had endured three years of harassment from her white neighbors through various means, including feces and litter thrown on her lawn, frequent complaints about her to village code enforcement and some threatening behavior. The latest incident, involving a dead squirrel she said they placed on her lawn, prompted her to place a sign on her front door asking for help.
After viewing photos of the sign, which have gone viral on social media, the Tuosto brothers, who have organized around 40 other Black Lives Matter protests in the surrounding area said they both felt a desire to try and help McLeggan.
“We are showing our support for Jennifer because these people are trying to instill fear in her,” Terrel said. “It’s chilling because these are the same fear tactics that were used in the civil rights era that are still being used to harass Black people today. We march today to shine a light on racism and to educate those who still don’t believe it exists.” 

Emotions ran high at points during Monday’s protest, as participants from various communities gathered at the field around 5 p.m. and marched through the neighboring streets before returning. Many said they came in honor of McLeggan, and to support the Black Lives Matter movement. 
“What happened to Jennifer was wrong, and I think there would be more justice if it was handled properly,” Valley Stream resident Alexander Fernandez, 14, said. “The Black Lives Matter movement is a good thing because it brings a positive message and I hope that this protest will bring about awareness and attention that people need to start being treated equally.” 
Jasmine Cross, 33, also from Valley Stream, and who lives a few blocks from McLeggan, said that she hopes that the protest will help McLeggan feel more safe and appreciated. 
“I hope that Jennifer doesn’t think that everyone dislikes her,” she said. “I hope that change will come from this protest and that the people who are harassing Jennifer can be removed from the community or stopped.” 
Valley Streamer James Fletcher, 65, who has been living in the community for 25 years, and who has been participating in civil rights protests for decades, said he attended the protest to support McLeggan and his Black children and grandchildren.
“I will keep protesting for the rest of my life because it’s a shame that they did that to Jennifer, who is a fellow community member,” he said. “In all my years of life, I’ve never seen racism so blatantly present. I want my grandchildren to grow up in a society where people don’t judge them because of their skin color.”
“I heard about what happened to Jennifer and it’s not shocking to me, but I don’t want this to keep happening,” said lifelong Valley Stream resident, Derrell Cheng, 33. “I think protests like this help bring people together and I truly hope that it will bring awareness to this injustice.”    

Peter Belfiore contributed to this story.