Crime

Rochester police confront protesters at City Hall

WXXI News | By Randy Gorbman,

Published September 16, 2020 at 9:39 AM EDT

Police confronted protesters in an effort to move them away from City Hall on Wednesday morning.

Sixteen people were arrested Wednesday after a standoff outside City Hall between Rochester police and the protesters calling for justice in the death of Daniel Prude.After a tense standoff with Rochester police, protests continue demanding justice for Daniel Prude, who suffocated in police custody in March. WXXI’s James Brown has more.

Prude was restrained by city police in March; he died a week later. Protests have been ongoing since earlier this month when Prude's family and attorney released police body camera footage of the incident.

On Tuesday, a group of protesters calling for the resignations of Mayor Lovely Warren, Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley and Locust Club President Mike Mazzeo marched to City Hall. They also demanded that the officers involved be fired and prosecuted and vowed they wouldn't leave City Hall until their demands are met.

https://youtu.be/DhfbjM6Y-Mo

The group stayed through the night, some erecting tents on Church Street outside the government building.

Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, police ordered protesters to leave and said if they didn't comply, they would be arrested. Sixteen people ultimately were charged with disorderly conduct, city police said Wednesday afternoon.

City crews removed protesters' tents and gear, took down signs and banners from City Hall's entrances and attempted to clean red handprints off the building.

After negotiations involving the Rev. Myra Brown of Spiritus Christi Church and Rochester Police Capt. Ray Dearcop, police allowed some protesters to pick up gear. They also told protesters that they would be allowed to stay at City Hall as long as they don't block the building's entrances.

City employees also reinstalled an American flag Wednesday. Protesters had taken it down Tuesday and replaced it with a Black Lives Matter flag. That flag is now flying on another pole.

Protesters are asking to remain at City Hall after police removed tents from the streets and steps from over night @maxrocphoto @rgorbman pic.twitter.com/oFYoCHHnrt— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

Police and protesters standoff in front of City Hall Wednesday morning @rgorbman @maxrocphoto pic.twitter.com/rwCeYimiFu— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

Standoff with RPD and protesters continues at City Hall @rgorbman @maxrocphoto pic.twitter.com/QWiraqHdDI— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

Standoff between the remaining protesters and a line of police continues on church street pic.twitter.com/cA5xen9EI3— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

RPD allows 7 protesters to pick up overnight gear. RPD has told protesters that the gates will come down and protesters will be allowed to stay at City Hall as long as they don’t block entrance to building. @maxrocphoto @rgorbman @jamesbrowntv pic.twitter.com/vMl6ZjTKxr— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

a city worker dragging a tent to from city hall to spiritus christi church. pic.twitter.com/0MWGzAXp7C— Primetime James A. Brown (@jamesbrowntv) September 16, 2020

City has sent in crews to remove signs, tents and food from City Hall after protesters stayed in front of building over night. @jamesbrowntv @rgorbman @maxrocphoto pic.twitter.com/8aIFSPqA29— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

City Hall installs an American flag as well as keeping a BLM flag on one of the flag poles in front of the building bellow the City of Rochester flag Wednesday afternoon after protesters were removed from entrances by RPD this morning. @maxrocphoto @jamesbrowntv @rgorbman pic.twitter.com/kmbBQgbKTZ— WXXI News (@WXXINews) September 16, 2020

Rochester police in the back of a vehicle use a PA system to order protesters outside City Hall to clear the area on Wednesday morning.

After protesters were removed from their camp outside City Hall on Wednesday morning, a standoff with police that lasted for several hours began.

A protester wears protective gear as the activists and police face each other Wednesday.

Police line up outside City Hall as they order activists to clear the area outside City Hall.

The Rev. Myra Brown of Spiritus Christi Church talks to city police Wednesday morning to negotiate an agreement that allows protesters to remain outside City Hall as long as they don't block access to the building.

The Rev. Myra Brown of Spiritus Christi Church and Rochester Police Capt. Ray Dearcop negotiate Wednesday. The agreement they reached also allowed activists to remove food and water from their camp outside City Hall.

Rochester police officers put up barricades outside City Hall to allow city workers to remove signs and equipment from the activists' camp.

Activist Ashley Gantt talks to Rochester Police Capt. Ray Dearcop on Wednesday morning.

City crews remove activists' tents, sleeping bags and other gear from outside City Hall.

City crews remove signs calling for Mayor Lovely Warren and District Attorney Sandra Doorley to resign from office. Other signs called for the police officers involved in the Prude case to be fired and prosecuted.

Max Schulte/WXXI News /