May - Blackberry

MAY {Blackberry}

“Let him go!” A deer standing in a crowd of people shouted. Many people tried to push through the crowd, but Officer Barley Oliver held them back. “This is Animal Fuzz business. Step back.”

“He can’t breathe!” Cries of anger came from the crowd.

Outside of a small shop, Chip Rocky was facedown on the ground, and Officer Digger Dopey had his paw on his neck. Chip Rocky was accused of paying for some berries with counterfeit coins. The fuzz had arrived about ten minutes earlier. Samson Doug and Eddie Mortimer had pulled Chip Rocky out of his hooptie, tossed him against a tree, and put cuffs on him. Mr. Rocky did not get in the hooptie, and Officer Dopey, Doug, and Mortimer tried to force him into it. He was then held to the ground, with Dopey on his neck, Doug holding his legs, and Mortimer on his legs and wrists. Chip Rocky states multiple times that he could not breathe. The officers did nothing and continued to hold him down.

A deer cried, “Check his pulse.” At first, this was ignored, but it was echoed throughout the crowd, and Officer Mortimer finally did. Mr. Rocky did not have a pulse. Officer Dopey had his paw on Mr. Rocky’s neck for about six minutes. Two minutes later, the rescue transportation arrived. That night, Chip Rocky was killed at the hands of four fuzz officers.

The day after the killing, protests erupted everywhere. The chairman of the region where Chip Rocky was killed announced that all four officers would be terminated and would leave the fuzz. A couple of days later, on the 29th of Blackberry, Digger Dopey was taken into custody.

Protests were worldwide and in all 50 regions of the Forest. Every day, animals gathered where Chip Rocky was killed and protested. People poured out in protest, and the protest sometimes became violent. Photos were broadcast of shops on fire, and people walked away with resources. Scrolls were being published about Chip Rocky’s last minutes, and thousands of Forestians watched the video of the killing Chip Rocky.

The protests went on for weeks to come.

24