What started as a peaceful protest in Syracuse and a drive-by rally in Watertown, escalated in the Syracuse in the late evening and into the early morning as hundreds more joined the initial Black Lives Matter movement.

Protesters were joining countless others in dozens of cities across the country enraged over the killing of George Floyd, an African American who died at the hands of a Minnesota police officer.

Chants of “no justice, no peace,” echoed throughout the streets in Central New York starting in the early afternoon and carried late into the night. Floyd is a representation of the racism that overtakes the country, said one of the protesters, who didn't want to identify himself.

“I don’t know him (Floyd) personally, but I feel like I was related to him. I feel like that could have been my cousin, that could have been me,” he said pointing to the fact that he too is an African American.

He said protesting is a way to tell America it is time to treat everyone equally and expose the discrimination lurking in every corner.

“What they can’t understand is the aspect of our melanin,” he explained, “we become a target because of it.”

Especially, he mentioned, when it comes to police brutality and their treatment of minorities.

The crowd mainly directed their frustration towards Syracuse Police and even turning violent later in the night.

People of all races joined forces with the Black Lives Matters Movement to support their cause.

Jacklyn LaPlinty, a white protester, was eager to share her perspective.

“I respect black people I don’t think it was right how that guy died like that now. I think they are very racist towards black people and not us and it’s not right," she said.

“Enough is enough, George Floyd was the tip of the iceberg,” said another protestor of mixed race who wanted to remain anonymous.

There had been another rally in Watertown that had wanted to demand justice peacefully by remaining in their cars and steering clear of violence.

“The best way to do this is to use our vehicles especially because of the pandemic," said Gene Robinson, one of the organizers.