ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – A riot broke out late Friday evening during what started off as a rally to demand justice for Daniel Prude who died in Rochester on March 23. Body-cam video of his encounter with Rochester Police officers was released earlier this week.
The Rochester Police Department said at least 2,000 people gathered in the city’s downtown area. The rally started at Martin Luther King Jr. Park and then marched towards East Avenue.
The RPD said some members of the crowd began throwing bottles, rocks and other debris at responding officers shortly before 11 p.m. Officers utilized pepper balls and pepper spray due to the safety risk and began dispersing the crowd toward South Avenue. This was the first use of pepper spray and pepper balls on Friday evening.
Officers encountered a large crowd at the intersection of South Clinton Avenue and Court Street at around midnight Saturday and the crowd began throwing bottles, rocks and other debris at officers.
Some members of the crowds began small fires including to a bus shelter and to garbage cans. According to the RPD, some were setting off commercial-grade fireworks directly at officers.
Officers deployed tear gas in attempt to disperse the crowd at approximately 12:05 a.m. The RPD said this was the first and only deployment of tear gar that evening.
The RPD announced early Saturday morning that eleven arrested during the riot. Four of those individuals were remanded to the Monroe County Jail and seven were issued appearance tickets.
Three officers were injured as a result of “projectiles and incendiary devices” being thrown at them, according to the RPD. The officers were hospitalized and were later released.
The RPD said two of the officers received swelling, cuts and contusions to their hands and legs while the other officer received burns to their neck.
A spokesperson with the RPD said it’s not prepared to report on damage to private or city-owned property at this time.
The following individuals were arrested:
