The Black Lives Matter Movement Marches On

Rochester carries out seven days of protests over the death of Daniel Prude

Story by Madeline Dovi, photograph by Lindsay Dedario

Rochester, NY - On Friday, Sept. 4, hundreds of people gathered at Martin Luther King Jr. Park to protest against the Rochester Police Department after newly released body camera footage showed officers violently arresting Daniel Prude.

“This is an unstoppable moment right now...if we don’t show them [The RPD] that we’re strong enough to disregard their rules now, they’re going to keep applying the pressure and oppressing us,” said Joe Prude, Daniel Prude’s brother.

On March 23, Prude died from fatal injuries after being allegedly physically restrained by officers of the Rochester Police Department (RPD) who responded to a call after Prude exhibited signs of a mental health emergency.

The official autopsy report listed his death as a homicide. On Sept. 2, body camera video footage was released, which led to public outcry and seven consecutive days of protests.

In the crowd stood Mary Testa, a professional counselor at Aspire Counseling, who discussed the consideration of mental health when responding to cases such as Prude’s.

“Police need to yield to the opinions of the mental health experts,” said Testa. “They [the police] can give him a sedative, but we should have been called...he should still be breathing today.”

As the rally entered its second hour, the park overflowed with masked protestors donned in black. Some socially distant mingling began before the organizers stood atop the stage to speak. Volunteers dispersed to hand out complimentary pizza and water.

Due to RPD’s response throughout the protests, which included the use of tear gas and pepper balls, some protestors carried homemade shields including sleds and/or garbage can lids while sporting goggles not unlike those worn in a chemistry class.

According to Free the People Rochester, a premier local BLM organization, 200 people showed up on Sept. 3 to protest for Daniel Prude.

On Sept. 4, the protestors numbered approximately 1,000 split about evenly between African-Americans and others. By 8 p.m., the atmosphere of the protest shifted as organizers spoke about the demands they had for the city. Frustration was evident on their faces as they voiced their grievances including the request for Mayor Lovely Warren and Police Chief La’Ron Singletary’s resignations.

They also demanded the prosecution of officers Mark Vaughn, Troy Taladay, Francisco Santiago, Andrew Specksgoor, and Josiah Harris, who are allegedly responsible for Daniel Prude’s death.

On Tuesday, Sept. 8, one of these demands was met, as Singletary and six other high ranking Rochester police officers announced their retirements, according to the RPD.

Later that night, another protest was held at 453 Jefferson Ave., the seventh consecutive protest for Prude and third demonstration in a row to end peacefully.

Art installations reading “Black Lives Matter” and “Murderers” were painted along Jefferson Ave. and Exchange Blvd.

On Sept. 9, Free the People Roc added a demand: the passage of legislation that would prevent police from responding to mental health related calls.

“The state must ensure that trained mental health providers respond in a mental health crisis,” Free the People Roc posted to their Instagram.

The proposed legislation’s name? Daniel’s Law.