While big cities are the usual ground for protests, Rochester and Rochester Hills have a handful of protests popping up. In light of recent events surrounding the death of George Floyd, area students have organized – and continue to organize – local peaceful protests. Unlike some of the big city protests that have turned into riots, prompting states to use the National Guard and for curfews to be put into place, the local walks have remained peaceful.
Rochester High School Protest
Rochester High School Protest Begins
On Thursday, June 4, two separately organized protests took place in Downtown Rochester. One protest met and formed at the Rochester Municipal Park and the other met and formed at Rochester High School in Rochester Hills. The Rochester Hills march was organized by Zena (age 17) and Mena (age 15) Nasiri, from the nonprofit Girls of the Crescent. Both are students in the Rochester Community School District. With help from other students, including Grace Snook, Maddie Lawson, and Sara Pacella, they contacted area leadership. “For getting the word out I started off with calling the mayors’ office and Councilman Ryan Deel to make sure they were aware of the march along with emailing the high school administrators and then we took it to social media,” said Zena Nasiri. “We mainly promoted on Instagram, but we also made a Facebook event page and they both seemed to be very effective and getting the word out about the march.”
Rochester Municipal Park Protest Gathers
Rochester Municipal Park Protest Gathers
Rochester Municipal Park Protesters Gather at the Band Shell
The two groups started independent walks at 4:00 p.m. and met in along University Drive heading East in Downtown Rochester. They combined to form one march, which went South on Main Street (Rochester Road), turned West on Fourth Street, then North on Walnut Blvd., back to University, and returned to their respective starting points.
The two groups combine into one march in Downtown Rochester
Protest Walkers on Main Street in Downtown Rochester
Protest Walkers on Main Street in Downtown Rochester
Both Groups were mostly young, student-aged women, a few adults and young men, and local leaders. Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett and Rochester Community School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Shaner joined the walk from Rochester High School.
Protest Walkers in Downtown Rochester
Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett walks with the protesters in Downtown Rochester
Each group roughly had about 500 participants, forming the larger group of 1,000 or more for the short time the walk was along Main Street.
Protest Walkers in Downtown Rochester
Another protest is scheduled to take place on Saturday, at 10:00 a.m., meeting at the Rochester Hills Public Library. The walk on June 6 is organized by a different group of people to support Black Lives Awareness, however they are not associated with the official Black Lives Matter organization.
About Michael Dwyer
Well Done Michael!
I have a bumper sticker on my car that simply says Trump/Pence 2020. It is my right and privilege to have this on my car. At approximately 2:00 in the afternoon on Thursday, August 13 2020 I left the Village Shopping Center to meet some for lunch meat Livernois and Walton. I was in the left lane and approximately 3 teenage girls or young college students were driving next to me honking their horn and yelling out the window at me. I was alarmed and kept saying “what’s wrong?” thinking there was something terribly wrong with my car. I then heard these girls shouting F___ you, F___ Trump repeatedly while giving me the finger. The driver then cut me off, swerving in front of me. Such hatred on her young face I won’t soon forget. It was a large silver or gray van, probably a parents car or gift. Such disgusting disrespect makes me sick. I only wish I had been prepared to get the license #, but I will be prepared if this should happen again. If you are a parent I suggest you bring your kids up so they do not do such things. Also watch who is teaching them and what exactly is being taught. Also as a politician do not align yourself with hate groups such as BLM which feeds the fuel of violence.
After seeing this that is very reason I moved out of Rochester Hills in Rochester Michigan the ghetto