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Did BLM protesters attack innocent families in Rochester? Calls for end to violent protests increase

In the aftermath of Prude’s death, a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest began at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square

On March 23, 2020, a 41-year-old man Daniel T Prude died after he was forcibly restrained by the Rochester policemen. As per reports, Prude suffered from acute mental health issues due which led to erratic behavior, including jumping headfirst down a flight of stairs. His brother, Joe Prude, then dialed emergency services for help. As he was ordered to lay on the ground and put his hands behind his back, cops handcuffed him and covered his head with a white "spit hood".

However, his condition worsened and he was taken to the hospital where he died. After his death, the autopsy report from the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled it a homicide and the cause of death included “complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint.” Reportedly, seven Rochester officers have been suspended in connection to the incident. 

In the aftermath of Daniel Prude’s death, a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest began at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square in downtown Rochester at 6.30 pm on Friday, September 4, 2020. Daniel's brother Joe Prude gave a speech followed by a few hours of prayers and more than 1,000 demonstrators strutted down the streets from East Avenue to Alexander Street and then down Chestnut Street chanting "Daniel Prude".

As per a local Rochester First report, protesters met police officers when they turned down into Court Street. Within minutes, the officers announced: “Rochester police has deemed this an unlawful assembly” and soon launched tear gas into the crowd. It led to much agitation among the protesters and as per social media users, the Black Lives Matter protesters started raiding restaurants and disrupting the tables there. 

Ian Miles Cheong posted a string of photos and videos from the protests. "Black Lives Matter rioters in Rochester: 'let's direct the energy towards the white folks tonight, cous'," he first tweeted. Then he shared a video saying: "Black Lives Matter rioters in Rochester are now launching fireworks attacks on police." In another tweet, he said, "Black Lives Matter rioters are setting fires in Rochester." In one video, he posted: "Black Lives Matter rioters set fire to a bus stop in Rochester." One tweet read: "Black Lives Matter activists are now climbing onto people’s homes in Rochester."

"When Black Lives Matter rioters were assaulting families at dinner tonight in Rochester, did they have members of the media behind them to let everyone know that they were 93% peaceful?" one Twitter user said. Another posted, "Black Lives Matter terrorists are trashing Rochester, New York Democrats explicitly endorsed Black Lives Matter over the summer, repeatedly."

Andy Ngo posted, "Rochester, N.Y.: #BLM rioters swarm a restaurant and knock over the dining tables." One tweet read: "BLM rioters in Rochester trashing people’s dinner and vandalizing restaurants. The media had deemed this a “peaceful protest”."