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Dominicans parade proudly, peaceably in
Reading
Preparation prevents repeat of pandemonium
By Rebecca VanderMeulen
Reading Eagle
2/28/2009
- About 300 marchers, mostly Reading High School
students, paraded down 13th Street on Friday afternoon,
waving Dominican flags and wearing the national colors of
their homeland.
Reading Eagle: Ryan McFadden
Reading High School students march down 13th
Street en route to Friday's Dominican
independence day celebration in City Park.
Dominican Republic declared independence from Haiti in 1844
The Dominican Republic is a nation on Hispaniola, a Caribbean island that is shared with Haiti.
In 1822, Haiti gained control of the entire island.
Because of the loss of political and economic control, Dominicans refer to this period as the "The Haitia
Occupation."
In the 1830s, a resistance group called La Trinitaria organized and launched multiple attacks on the
Haitian army. The eastern two-thirds of Hispaniola declared independence on Feb. 27, 1844.
The name Republica Dominicana, or Dominican Republic, was adopted.
Source: "History of the Dominican Republic," www.hispaniola.com.
Watch: Dominican Independence Day parade
Watch: Puerto Rican students take a different route to City Park
The celebration marking the Dominican Republic's independence day was loud and jubilant, but largely
peaceful under the eye of at least 100 police officers and sheriff's deputies.
It was a much different scene from last year, when an impromptu parade that began at Reading High
turned into what police called a riot, resulting in some injuries and property damage. Eight citations for
disorderly conduct were issued then.
On Friday, Dominican native Sunilda Tejada, who helped organize this year's parade, said the problems
2008 stemmed from the spontaneous nature of the celebration.
Tejada is treasurer of Union Dominicana, a group that formed in September and vowed to change the
negative perception this year.
"We got the permit," Tejada said, explaining the steps taken to ensure an orderly celebration. "We talke
to the police. We talked to the mayor."
Police manpower consisted of dozens of Reading officers, 20 state troopers, 30 Berks County sheriff's
deputies and two police dogs. A state police helicopter circled overhead.
Reading Police Capt. Edward J. Kosmerl Jr. said police planned their coverage based on last year and tha
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the helicopter was used for surveillance.
"Based on last year's disorder, we wanted to have a record of what was going on," said Kosmerl, who w
injured last year by a thrown rock.
On Friday, marchers chanted phrases such as "Soy Dominicano," which is Spanish for "I am Dominican.
few played percussion instruments.
"We're proud of our culture," said Reading High senior Pedro Vanderhorst, a Dominican native.
Reading High Principal Wynton Butler said students needed parental permission to leave school and take
part in the march, which began at 1 p.m.
While the procession was orderly, there were some shouting matches between Dominican students and
about 100 students of Puerto Rican descent, who had left school and gathered on a sidewalk along 13th
Street.
Some Puerto Rican students said they were upset because some Dominicans had marched in a Puerto
Rican heritage parade last summer carrying Dominican flags.
"It doesn't matter," said sophomore Fidel Garcia, who's Puerto Rican. "We're all Hispanics."
As the Dominicans marched past, cheering and shouting, the Puerto Rican crowd chanted, and police sto
between the two groups.
"Puerto Ricans versus Dominicans; we're not having this," one officer said.
At City Park, Felipe Fana, president of Union Dominicana, addressed the crowd in Spanish and encourag
participants to be orderly.
The Dominican native wore a tie imprinted with American flags to show pride in the country he's lived in
for 25 years. He also had a Dominican flag.
"We came here to the country to do something good for the country," Fana said. "I'm proud to be an
American citizen."
The celebration continued at Reading Area Community College, where more than 500 people gathered f
dancing to Dominican music played by a band.
They cheered when "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played and images of an eagle and the Lincoln
Memorial were projected on a large screen.
The cheering grew louder after the Dominican national anthem, "Quisqueyanos Valientes," played, and t
screen filled with pictures of the Dominican flag and founding father Juan Pablo Duarte.
The Dominican Republic declared its independence from Haitian rule on Feb. 27, 1844.
"The lyrics of the hymn cause our hearts to vibrate," the Rev. Jorge Gryb, a Reading Methodist minister,
said in Spanish.
Back at Reading High School, sophomore Ronald Joyner, 17, carried an American flag while walking awa
from school after students were dismissed.
The Dominican and Puerto Rican students brought flags to school to celebrate their heritage, so Joyner
figured he'd do the same.
"Everyone else can do it," he said. "Why can't I?"
In an incident unrelated to the march, city police said two juveniles were cited about 3:40 p.m. when
police dispersed a crowd at 10th and Douglass streets They cited the juveniles for disorderly conduct an
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police dispersed a crowd at 10th and Douglass streets. They cited the juveniles for disorderly conduct an
failure to disperse.
Contact Rebecca VanderMeulen: 610-371-5015 or [email protected].
Reading Eagle: Lauren A. Little
Malcia A. Cruz of Wyomissing takes part in
Friday's Dominican independence day
celebration at Reading Area Community College.
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