Hundreds of demonstrators marched through parts of Rochester Saturday night night in an 11th night of protests over the death of Daniel Prude.
Prude died in March, a week after being restrained by officers on the ground on Jefferson Avenue, but news of his death only came to light a little over a week ago when bodycam video was released. His death was ruled a homicide. Seven police officers were suspended and a state grand jury investigation is pending.
The protest Saturday night began on Jefferson Avenue, and later ended up near the intersection of Child and Wilder Streets.
That is not far from the Rochester Special Operations Division Office, and police formed a line to keep protesters from getting any closer.
There was a standoff, with demonstrators facing off against police. RPD says they did use pepper balls after bottles and rocks were thrown at them. Spectrum News reporter Phillip Boudreaux captured some of the protest on Twitter.
Police continue to ask protesters to move back pic.twitter.com/iOISEOpWzY
— Phillip Boudreaux (@PBoudreauxNews) September 13, 2020
There was no immediate word of any serious injuries. There was one person arrested, and the crowd dispersed at about 1:40 Sunday morning. A statement released by a spokesperson for an organizer of the protest, Free The People Roc, says that police were blocking people from exercising their right to protest.
It also quotes one of the activists as saying that police were telling demonstrators to move back while pushing and tackling protesters to the ground.
The person arrested is identified as 50 year old Nicholas Wilt, who was charged with unlawful assembly and resisting arrest. He is the husband of Brighton Town Board member Robin Wilt, who was also at the protest. On Facebook, she said that she was pushed over by police while her hands were in the air.
