GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — People assembled and marched in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids today to protest the death of George Floyd.
The #AmINext #4Unity Protest started at 4 p.m. at Rosa Parks Circle and officially ended at 8 p.m.
It appeared hundreds of people took part in the peaceful protest.
See a photo gallery of the protest.
"We need to come together as a community to ensure the safety of our people, our black men and women," the event's Facebook page says.
"How many times do we have to say 'I can’t breathe?' How many times do we have to say 'AmINext?'"
After starting at Rosa Parks Circle, the crowd marched throughout the city's core, sat or knelt on Fulton Street at Division Avenue — behind the Grand Rapids Police Department headquarters — and then marched back to Rosa Parks Circle.
See our team's overage of the protest, including when small groups engaged with police officers after the protest's official end:
11:23 p.m.
Protestors are currently bouncing to “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne. Tensions low, vibes good...
(@FOX17) pic.twitter.com/td56i1QgfA
— Michael E Martin (@MichaelMartinGR) June 7, 2020
11:19 p.m. 10:50 p.m.
We have been here at Monroe & Pearl for the past hour. Things have remained peaceful. People are still here with signs, signing & dancing...
(@FOX17) pic.twitter.com/hhPUvLKtax
— Michael E Martin (@MichaelMartinGR) June 7, 2020
10:50 p.m.
UPDATE: Police left very quickly — A protestor spoke to them.
She tells me the police told her they wanted protestors to move away from the dump trucks parked along Ionia & Monroe Center @FOX17
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
10:46 p.m.
Grand Rapids police showing up in cars and on bikes — Protestors began chanting “Hands up don’t shoot” @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/SK68aC62Ox
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
10:18 p.m. 9:52 p.m.
Protestors are still here on Ionia and Monroe Center.
The tension is down significantly from earlier, with protestors and police now just standing around, although it feels like that could change at any point @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/Iqk0piszdv
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
9:13 p.m.
“MOVE BACK” GRPD chanting as they push protestors down Monroe Center @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/mMMnWxX0ER
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
9:12 p.m.
DEVELOPING: Grand Rapids Police just came over the loud speakers and told protestors to leave immediately.
Most people are leaving. @FOX17
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
9:10 p.m.
Police now blocking from the other side of Ionia @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/hu8V3j7np2
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
9:00 p.m.
Protestors are screaming for people to leave after police form a perimeter on Monroe and Ionia, saying that they’re being boxed in. Police have since moved closer than where they are in this video. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/T4HH0HYvLN
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
8:32 p.m.
Protestors boo as Payne walks away from the crowd.
Someone says “these are our streets now” @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/z5cXm5sOrw
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
8:22 p.m.
Protestors are talking to GRPD Chief Eric Payne.
It’s hard to hear what they’re saying, but I did catch one protestor ask Payne to listen to them. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/gYnRiV3cCX
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
8:11 p.m.
Protestors chanting “Answer her” after a black woman near the front began shouting at the police.
She says she watched one of the cops behind the line roll his eyes and wanted to know why he allegedly did so @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/YFFP3o5gFR
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 7, 2020
7:52 p.m.
7:47 p.m.
We’re now in front of GRPD.
Police have formed a perimeter. Protestors are asking police to walk with them and continuing to chant. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/t2SOxKRR6N
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
7:45 p.m.
Police just walked away and are walking up Ionia Ave.
Protestors are following them and chanting. pic.twitter.com/4hzaO6S7vk
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
7:29 p.m.
Crowd at Rosa Parks are starting to disperse, so we began walking back to our car.
Found a group of people sitting in front of cops on Ionia & Louis. Some protestors are beginning to shout at the police @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/xqWhsygcUz
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
7:00 p.m.
6:21 p.m.
Significantly smaller crowd at Rosa Park Circle than what protestors began with — All of them peaceful.
We’re hearing lots of cars beep / rev their engines as they drive by too. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/kPeEzqJurm
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
6:05 p.m.
A few of my tweets haven’t sent, but protestors continued to march around GR, then sat on Fulton Ave. and shared stories of their experiences with oppression and how the community needs to continue to support this issue.
They’re back at Rosa Park Circle @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/ZyLLDpdO9k
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
5:59 p.m.
Police have since cleared that scene — We’re back with protestors who have since started marching again @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/nVckjFacil
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
5:51 p.m.
CORRECTION: Oakes *
Just spoke with a deputy — He says there was a man with a gun, but he’s now in custody. Waiting on additional info from GRPD @FOX17 https://t.co/5FrQq1y8pF
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
5:47 p.m.
DEVELOPING: Large police presence near Oates & Commerce, blocking off the road — This is just a street over from the protestors.
Not clear what’s going on or if it’s at all connected to the protest. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/TZey6SRofb
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
5:18 p.m.
4:37 p.m.
4:36 p.m.
Organizers tell me they’re stressing a peaceful protest.
They plan to end things at 8 p.m. and say if anything happens after that, the people are not with them.
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
4:29 p.m.
Organizers say they want GRPD and other local leaders to publicly apologize on their own time, and not at preplanned times.
They also want the community to acknowledge that racism is still an issue and work towards solutions. @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/cD1eXhvNIV
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
4:16 p.m.
4:05 p.m.
HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of people are at Rosa Park Circle continuing to protest police brutality and racial injustice.
Organizers say they will be marching around downtown GR — It’s being organized by three GR residents who have formed a group called “4Unity” @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/BuxRBp3e1m
— Marisa Oberle (@marisa_oberleTV) June 6, 2020
