BUFFALO, N.Y. — One day after civil rights attorney Ben Crump called for a national anti-Black hate-crime law, people who lined up to greet President Joe Biden in Buffalo on Tuesday were literally carrying that same message.

As Biden made his way to the scene of last weekend’s mass shooting at Tops grocery store on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, hundreds of onlookers, many with signs, lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the man many hope will foster change.

What You Need To Know

  • President Biden visited Buffalo Tuesday after a mass shooting left 10 people dead

  • Onlookers called on Congress and the president to pass new hate crime law

  • Proponents say it should mirror the anti-Asian law signed last year

"I'm glad that he came,” said Veronica Golden of Buffalo. “This is 2022. It's time for them to give Black people respect.”

Golden says she used to work at the Tops on Jefferson and calls the shooting a travesty that could have been prevented.

Golden is calling on Congress to pass and for Biden to sign anti-Black hate crime legislation, similar to the anti-Asian measure that went into law last year.

"It's important that they pass it because it'll show that America actually cares about Black people,” Golden said. “Because we don't really know. We're really not sure about it.”

"The change is that people will stop killing us because of the color of our skin," said Cariol Horne of Buffalo.

Horne is also looking to end racism and change the culture across the nation and here at home.

"You can't change someone's heart, but what you can do is you can make it not to be tolerated,” Horne said. “I need white people to go out and tell your family and friends that listen, ‘we're not going to tolerate it anymore."’

"Real pain is not being with these leaders,” said Derek Middlebrooks of Buffalo. “Kudos for you to being with the families. At the end of the day, come meet with the people that's really going through it. Then you'll have my vote. Other than that, I don't trust people with suits.”

Middlebrooks’ 15-year-old son is the cousin of Tops security guard Aaron Salter, who was shot and killed in the attack. He says his heart is broken, and that the president is meeting with long-time leaders who have yet to produce change.

"We're still here struggling,” Middlebrooks said. “We're still here getting killed. We're still getting harassed. So, mister president, while you're here, why don't you come meet with the people that actually matter? That live in the neighborhood. The people that's not wearing the suits. Come meet with the people who are struggling every day to buy groceries, to buy toiletries for their house. To people that are struggling with jobs, struggling to pay their bills. Come meet with us."