Fifth night of Daniel Prude protests

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The fifth night of protests in downtown Rochester continued into the early hours of Monday morning, but they remained peaceful.

Police let protesters march to the Public Safety Building and it was the first night without confrontation.

On Sunday, Mayor Lovely Warren and Rochester Police Chief La’Ron Singletary held a press conference saying they would hold a community event to make sure the protest went peacefully. A group of about 50 elders gathered at the Public Safety Building ahead of the march, acting as a buffer or shield between demonstrators and police.

Upon arriving at the PSB, organizers and other activists gave speeches, led chants, and observed moments of silence for the death of Prude and other cases of police brutality.

In contrast to some previous nights, there were few reports of any bottles or other projectiles being thrown by anyone, and police did not use any measures such as tear-gas or pepperballs, according to RPD.

Rev. Myra Brown said that Prude’s death re-triggered pain and trauma and it’s important to give the community the space to grieve.

“They be given the space to be angry, to be given the space to make the demands that we need to make in order to change the systems,” Brown said.

RPD says there were no arrests and wanted to thank local and state law enforcement as well as Dr. Myra Brown and the elders for keeping the protest safe and allowing everyone’s voice to be heard.