About 200 Black Lives Matter protesters stormed the streets of Rochester, New York on Monday in what began as an afternoon anti-police protest.
The protest was in response to a nine-year-old girl who was pepper-sprayed by police late last week. An officer used handcuffs and “an irritant” on the minor who reportedly threatened to harm herself, Rochester First reported.
The protesters marched toward a police station, and as darkness blanketed the city, so did aggression and violence.
They then began overturning police barricades in an attempt to approach the station.
Protesters have started taking the fence down and moving closer to the police station. #ROC pic.twitter.com/FCOUU3ksjO
— Geoffery Rogers (@GeofferyRogers) February 1, 2021
After breaking through the barricade, they assembled along the parking lot fence and began shouting at officers
Protesters successfully overturn the barricades set up outside this Rochester Police station and make their way up to the inner parking lot fence #Rochester #NewYork #RochesterPD #RochesterProtests pic.twitter.com/LwOj1yh820
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 1, 2021
The protesters chanted: “RPD look what you did, you just maced a little kid.”
Rochester Police Capt. Mark Mura told Fox News the protesters dispersed after pushing down the barricade and there were no confrontations, arrests, and or injuries. He declined to comment on the ongoing situation with the officers.
On Monday, two Rochester state lawmakers, Sen. Samra Brouj and Assemblyman Demond Meeks, both democrats, announced legislation to prohibit the use of chemical agents by police officers against minors, the Democrat & Chronicle reports.
While there were no arrests, the situation still escalated to some amount of violence.
But, barely a peep from the mainstream media.
Fox News and Spectrum News reported the story with two very different headlines.
“BLM protesters surround Rochester police station after officers pepper-spray, restrain 9-year-old” – Fox News
“Rochester Activities to Protest in Response to Police Incident” – Spectrum News