WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |Jena Prepares for Rally
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People in Jena say they want things to return to normal. They say there is no racial tension in their town. A few people are saying that's something the media made up. WAFB's Tyana Williams is in Jena.
People do have their guards up. Since we've been in Jena, we've been told twice that we're not welcome, but some people say that's only because the town of Jena has been burned. A lot of shops downtown still have Jena High School displays left over from last week's homecoming. Now, as a sign of town support.
Tina Norris, who owns Café Martin in Jena, says the people here have been referred to as another Mayberry and they're tired of being laughed at. Norris says, "This is an incident that's been blown out of proportion. Ready for it to be over. Get back to our small-town life."
To give you an idea of what Jena looks like right now, we've got about 15 news crews, reporters and freelancers. Jena, as a community, says they weren't ready to deal with this. Even the district attorney says things have been blown out of proportion.
So far, the only media draw in the town is Reverend Al Sharpton. He met with Mychal Bell Wednesday morning. Sharpton said Bell's spirit is high. So far, Bell, who's still behind bars, is the only one of the 'Jena 6' defendants who has gone on trial.
Another big name getting involved is David Bowie. The British rocker has donated $10,000 to the 'Jena 6' defense fund. The NAACP announced the donation Wednesday morning.
WAFB 9NEWS will have crews in Jena for the rally. If you're going to be there, you're asked to leave your car at the Ward 10 Park, which is just south of Jena. The rally begins at 8:00 a.m. State police recommend you bring food and water with you. With the expected crowds and shutdowns, you may need to bring it. Then, Thursday afternoon in Alexandria, there's a town hall meeting to discuss quality education without intimidation.
If you're staying here in south Louisiana, watch for reports Wednesday night and all day Thursday on 9NEWS LIVE from Jena.
Reporter: Tyana Williams, WAFB 9NEWS
