Black Lives Matter protests continued Saturday afternoon as thousands marched demanding new reform from the city.
Sierra Mendes, one of the event organizers, says the goal is to spread awareness, lift up the black community and stop police brutality.
“People are being murdered. And people are getting away with it. And that’s it. That’s it. That’s the conversation. What are we doing about it? Enough is enough,” said Mendes.
At the Liberty Pole, Mendes arranged for a voter registration table and encouraged everyone to get out and vote.The protesters recited a list of demands for the city that include dropping charges for Rochester citizens who police say participated in the looting last weekend, demanding officers to be removed from city schools, insisting the police department be de-funded and pouring that money into the communities by cancelling rent for citizens during the pandemic.
“We feel like serious police reform, re-imagining, and some people believe in this crowd abolition is the key to fixing this problem. It’s too much on this end,” said Mendes.
The simultaneous demonstrations came together at Martin Luther King Park to spread their common message.
— 13 WHAM