Protesters and law enforcement are gearing up for a planned protest this weekend to shut down Interstate 490 in downtown Rochester this Sunday.

“'Save Rochester' will be taking over I-490 as a means of disrupting the normal flow of traffic,” said Mikey, an organizer of the protest with Save Rochester-Black Lives Matter.

What You Need To Know


  • A group plans to shut down Interstate 490 on Sunday in Rochester, to call attention to the Black Lives Matter movement

  • They have a list of demands, from dismissing the charges of the 30 arrested protesters this past week, to having charges filed on those who threatened to run over protesters 

  • RPD says they are aware, and a traffic detail will monitor if the protest leaves Martin Luther King Jr Park

"This is the way that we need to get the chief of police and chief justice to have this conversation with us, this is what we must do," said Noah, one of the organizers of Save Rochester. Our main focus is keeping people safe and that is it first and foremost, and then it is to have that conversation and read our demands to them, and tell them, have a conversation with us."

Save Rochester-Black Lives Matter says it’s gathering in honor of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the countless lives lost across the country.

Since the announcement, the group says it has received violent threats against those planning to protest.

“Charges need to be brought against the individuals that made specific threats to run over protestors online," said Mikey.

Along with the planned protest, the group has a list of demands, ranging from dismissing the charges of the 30 people charged with misdemeanor from the curfew, the release of all inmates with non-violent misdemeanors, charges filed on people making threats to run over protesters, and having Rochester City Council draft reparations for Rochester residents.

“The main point of disrupting this and making you a little bit uncomfortable is because if you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not paying attention to what’s going on in America every day as people that look like them and people that look like me oppress them in the streets," said Noah.

Rochester police say they are aware of the possible protest Sunday and the calls to possibly close Interstate 490.

The commander of the patrol division says they are assessing the situation and trying to work with organizers. Right now, resources will be in place at the planned starting point of the protest, and the hope is the top priority is ensuring the safety of the organizers and commuters on 490.

“We want to ensure that their voices are heard in a safe manner, if they remain in the park, it’s probably the best course of action, and again we do want to hear their voices, but the safety is the paramount, and it is our priority to ensure they are safe,” said Commander Fabian Rivera of the Rochester Police Department. 

The Monroe County Sheriff Office will assist RPD, along with help from New York State Police, if needed.

Currently, resources will be in place at the planned starting point of the protest at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in downtown Rochester.

Police said they will not rule out using dump trucks as a safety measure — similar to what happened at a protest earlier this week in the same park to defy the city’s curfew to help curb violence.

"Again, it is a good safety buffer, it is a method that we can use to block off traffic and ensure there’s no traffic is assessable to them, either on 490, or even on the city streets," said Rivera.

Organizers have not released details about how Interstate 490 will be shut down, but say that information will be shared with people attending the protest Sunday.

When questioned about emergency vehicles needing to pass by on I-490, organizers said the interstate would not be impeded, and insists traffic will continue to flow.

“We want peaceful protest, peaceful assembly, and we just want to make sure that all of our community members are safe,” said Rivera.