Both Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Police Chief La’Ron Singletary left what was supposed to be a community-city forum after they were shouted down by Black Lives Matter protesters this evening. The event turned into a vigil for Daniel Prude, who was left brain dead after he stopped breathing in Rochester police custody.
Chief Singletary left the meeting at the First Church of God on Clarissa Street after being confronted by BLM protesters who called him “the enemy.” Mayor Warren arrived and said she was ready to answer the community’s questions, but left after being confronted by shouting demonstrators during her remarks.
Earlier, religious leaders including the Reverend Lewis Stewart who had called the community forum were shouted down by BLM when they tried to conduct their meeting.
Demonstrators then returned to the spot on Jefferson Avenue where Daniel Prude was confronted by police until they marched to the downtown Public Safety Building at about 9:30 p.m. Once there, the crowd of several hundred rallied into the early morning hours. Police on several occasions fired pepper balls at the crowd to push them back from the barricades around the building.
Police say eight protesters were arrested and two officers were injured as rocks and bottles were thrown at them. They were treated and released at the hospital. The charges were mainly for disorderly conduct.