An estimated 700 Black Lives Matter demonstrators occupied the block of Main Street opposite the Monroe County Office Building this afternoon...lying silently in the street and holding signs protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and demanding police reform. Then they began moving to face the county office building where police and state troopers stood guard and asked the officers to take a knee with them.
Police blocked off Main Street from Fitzhugh to Exchange Street and RTS Buses avoided Main Street entirely for the afternoon.
Demonstrator Sam Taquiri of Rochester told reporters he was there with a group of friends pushing for police reform in dealing with black Americans. He said he returned to Rochester a few years ago and was shocked to find out how segregated the city still is. Tequiri says they'll keep pushing until the see police reform, and more care taken by the uniformed police of Rochester.