Protests in Rochester continue Saturday night, with police ordering crowds to disperse.
Pepper balls and tear gas have been deployed, as the Rochester Police Department reports that water bottles, rocks, and fireworks have been thrown at police by some protesters.
Police are enforcing an overnight curfew that goes into effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily, which was extended by Mayor Lovely Warren on Thursday.
The Rochester Police Department released a statement Saturday night, saying that shortly before 9 p.m., a crowd of around 1,500 protesters began marching toward Downtown Rochester from Jefferson Avenue after a peaceful march through parts of the 19th Ward and Corn Hill.
Officers then say they blocked off streets to allow for peaceful protests and marching.
By around 9:40 p.m. protesters arrived at Rochester City Hall, and by 9:45 p.m. police observed fireworks in the crowd.
Things escalated when protesters met a police barricade at Exchange Boulevard and Broad Street at 10:20 p.m. The RPD says that the crowd began to throw bottles at police, who ordered the crowd to disperse.
Police say that at 10:24 p.m., officers were hit by rocks and commercial grade fireworks. The RPD says tear gas and pepper balls were then deployed for the first time.
Protesters who refused to leave the street were told they would be arrested for disorderly conduct.
The night began at 6:30 p.m. at the scene of Daniel Prude’s March 23 arrest on Jefferson Avenue.
This week's protests have come after police footage was released earlier this week showing the arrest and death of Prude in police custody in March, which has led to the suspension of seven Rochester police officers involved.
The protest, organized by Free the People Roc, is renewing their call for the resignations of Mayor Lovely Warren and RPD Chief La’Ron Singletary.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Saturday that her office will immediately move to empanel a grand jury in the investigation surrounding Prude's death.
The protesters have also called out Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, saying he has been silent to their concerns. Bello did issue his statement reacting to the Attorney General’s grand jury being empaneled. This is the first time Belo has addressed the situation since the news of Prude’s death was made public on Wednesday.
Spectrum News has confirmed that Livingston County Sheriff's Deputies have been deployed to help local police.
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