Riots continued Saturday evening in Rochester, New York, for the third straight night as Black Lives Matter activists marched to city hall and clashed with police.
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 05: Joe Prude, the brother of Daniel Prude, holds up his phone to show off the crowd that has gathered at the site of the arrest of Daniel Prude as they prepare to march on September 05, 2020 in Rochester, New York. Daniel Prude died after being arrested on March 23, by Rochester police officers who had placed a “spit hood” over his head and pinned him to the ground while restraining him. This is the fourth consecutive night of protesting since the family released bodycam footage of Mr. Prude’s arrest. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 05: Demonstrators shield themselves from pepper balls on September 05, 2020 in Rochester, New York. Daniel Prude died after being arrested on March 23, by Rochester police officers who had placed a “spit hood” over his head and pinned him to the ground while restraining him. This is the fourth consecutive night of protesting since the family released bodycam footage of Mr. Prude’s arrest. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT – Rochester Police use pepper spray, “less-lethal” munitions and teargas on protesters in Rochester, New York, on September 5, 2020, on the fourth night of protest following the release of video showing the death of Daniel Prude. – Prude, a 41-year-old African American who had mental health issues, died of asphyxiation after police arrested him on March 23, 2020, in Rochester. (Photo by Maranie R. STAAB / AFP) (Photo by MARANIE R. STAAB/AFP via Getty Images)
A protester uses a leaf blower to dispel teargas and pepper spray in Rochester, New York, on September 5, 2020, on the fourth night of protest following the release of video showing the death of Daniel Prude. – Prude, a 41-year-old African American who had mental health issues, died of asphyxiation after police arrested him on March 23, 2020, in Rochester. (Photo by Maranie R. STAAB / AFP) (Photo by MARANIE R. STAAB/AFP via Getty Images)
According to local ABC affiliate WHAM, a march through the city had initially been peaceful, and police had even blocked other streets to clear traffic so that the demonstration could proceed.
RPD officers are blocking off streets to allow protester to march peacefully from Jefferson Ave toward Main St. Officer continue to maintain distance from the protestors as the group is moving east on Main St toward center city
— Rochester NY Police (@RochesterNYPD) September 6, 2020
However, once the marchers had arrived at city hall, the crowd refused to disperse. As WHAM reported:
Police say at 11:10 p.m. multiple fireworks were thrown toward officers at which time officers responded with tear gas and pepper ball.
Officers continued to get pelted with bottles and rocks, according to police. To disperse the crowds, the line of officers advanced in “measured increments.”
At approximately 12:00 a.m. 50-100 people continued to throw objects at officers from various locations near City Hall and State Street, police said.
Officers advanced to City Hall after demonstrators were breaking windows at the building.
At one point, police and rioters faced off, with rioters advancing toward police with helmets and shields, and police firing tear gas in response.
Officer are continuing to be hit with bottles and rocks. In an attempt to stop this behavior, officers have advanced in small measured increments to disperse the crowd.
— Rochester NY Police (@RochesterNYPD) September 6, 2020
The protest has turned in to a dangerous protest. #ROC pic.twitter.com/R8HPq2TN2f
— Geoffery Rogers (@GeofferyRogers) September 6, 2020
On Friday night, Black Lives Matter activists stormed outdoor seating restaurants, destroying furniture and scattering terrified families.
#HappeningNow the protesters in Rochester NY are “shutting down restaurants”, tables are broken, people running off scared #rochesterprotests pic.twitter.com/oxmlZp526w
— @SCOOTERCASTER (FNTV) (@ScooterCasterNY) September 5, 2020
There were riots in other parts of the city on Friday evening as well.
Demonstrators march through the streets in Rochester, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 4, 2020 protesting the death of Daniel Prude. Prude apparently stopped breathing as police in Rochester were restraining him in March 2020 and died when he was taken off life support a week later. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Demonstrators clash with police officers a block from the Public Safety Building in Rochester, N.Y., Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, after a rally and march protesting the death of Daniel Prude. Prude apparently stopped breathing as police in Rochester were restraining him in March 2020 and died when he was taken off life support a week later. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
The unrest came in response to the death of a black man, Daniel Prude, who died several days after being restrained by police with a “spit hood” during an episode in which he had run through the streets naked under the influence of drugs. The incident happened in March, but video was only released last week.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). His new book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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