From Harlem to Brooklyn, Midtown to Queens and every direction in between, tens of thousands of New Yorkers spent Saturday peacefully marching in search of an end to police brutality and racial injustice following the May 25 police-involved murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd.
Marchers sang, chanted and paraded in peace at numerous demonstrations across the boroughs. There were no reports of major incidents or disturbances as of 8 p.m., when the curfew went into effect.
#TheTakeBack: Thousands of protesters marching from 110th & Central Park West in #Harlem. They started gathering near Frederick Douglass Circle and are walking close to 8 miles to #WashingtonSquarePark. Many are wearing face coverings and chanting #BlackLivesMattters @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/QBa2gdZiL0
— Cory James (@CoryJamesTV) June 6, 2020
Protesters are filing into Washington Square Park pic.twitter.com/G8EoOvh28H
— Emily (@EmSlapstheBass) June 6, 2020
https://twitter.com/EmSlapstheBass/status/1269315931798491145
“No justice, no peace” pic.twitter.com/jbkLh0DoC2
— Emily (@EmSlapstheBass) June 6, 2020
Some rain fell on protesters at the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street, but the march went on. A band provide music to keep things moving.
Lean on me pic.twitter.com/AtMzi1gIkV
— Emily (@EmSlapstheBass) June 6, 2020
Supporters along the march route banged pots and shouted cheers from their apartments above the street.
Support for the protesters from the windows of apartments pic.twitter.com/DOLg8EHSb2
— Emily (@EmSlapstheBass) June 6, 2020
Early this morning, protesters gathered in Queens at Gantry Plaza State Park calling for reform.
#Demonstrators lay on the ground for about 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time #GeorgeFloyd was held down by police officers in #Minneapolis #GantryPlazaStatePark #queens pic.twitter.com/PBNuUseFbp
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 6, 2020
There was a protest outside Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, Queens among students and alumni who are fed up with reports of racism and intolerance at the academic institution.
#demonstrators march outside of @Molloyhs for #BlackLivesMatter #queens pic.twitter.com/FRDeU1NV17
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 6, 2020
Another protest on the steps of the Queens County Criminal Court House had marchers singing “Happy Birthday” to Breonna Taylor, a victim of police brutality in Kentucky, who would’ve turned 27 on June 5.
#Demonstrators sing #HappyBirthday for #BreonnaTaylor on the steps of #QueensCriminalCourt pic.twitter.com/RD9HjDywzO
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 6, 2020
The big crowd was last seen heading down Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, making their case for justice known.
The #Protesters are now marching through #ForestHills for #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/LitfyYWcQb
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) June 6, 2020
In Brooklyn, thousands of protesters made their way from Grand Army Plaza to Barclays Center at about 2 p.m. with massive demonstrations continuing along Flatbush Avenue.
According to unconfirmed reports, nearly 15,000 people have participated thus far.
The scene near Cadman Plaza, where #NYPD scanner estimated nearly 15,000 protesters have gathered.#NYCPROTEST #BrooklynProtest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Dssn8c5ZTV
— Grant Lancaster (@grantlan145) June 6, 2020
Massive demonstration marching from Grand Army Plaza up Flatbush Ave, towards Barclays. At least a thousand from what I can see. #nycprotests pic.twitter.com/VhEnJ3iZjb
— Lucas Brady Woods (@lucasbradywoods) June 6, 2020
Police scanners estimate about 3500 protestors just arrived at Barclays from Grand Army Plaza. Thanks to the anonymous source consistently sending us aerials of these crowds! pic.twitter.com/mU7CQQPp3x
— PRO_NYC (@protest_nyc) June 6, 2020
Thousands marching in Brooklyn from Grand Army Plaza to the 78th precinct right through the rain @News12BK @News12BX #georgefloyd #brooklyn #brooklynprotest #NYCPROTEST #nycprotests #protests #protests2020 #blm #blacklivesmatter #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/QwTy5CJZKN
— Justine Miller (@JustineIMiller) June 6, 2020
The amount of people is incredible #BlackLivesMattters #brooklynprotest #brooklyn #blm pic.twitter.com/r4JgZqrhNo
— Dillen Danger! #ProtectTransKids #TransRightsNOW (@DillenDanger) June 6, 2020
another absolutely huge march along Flatbush, double digits #georgefloyd protests in nyc pic.twitter.com/d5nyU8a95J
— Emma Whitford (@emma_a_whitford) June 6, 2020
The throng of marchers would stop at Cadman Plaza, then head over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan for a rally outside Foley Square.
As they headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge, the NYPD blocked off their access to the roadway. The marchers had to then squeeze onto the pedestrian portion of the bridge, significantly slowing their walk.
The scene near Cadman Plaza, where #NYPD scanner estimated nearly 15,000 protesters have gathered.#NYCPROTEST #BrooklynProtest #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/Dssn8c5ZTV
— Grant Lancaster (@grantlan145) June 6, 2020
Marchers cross Canal Street on Broadway, led by protesters on bikes helping to stop traffic for the protest.#nycprotests #manhattanprotests #BlackLivesMatter #nyc pic.twitter.com/f2w53ECMuc
— Grant Lancaster (@grantlan145) June 6, 2020
Protesters fill Foley Square in front of the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan after marching through the streets of the lower east side.#nycprotests #manhattanprotests #BlackLivesMatter #nyc pic.twitter.com/thM7xoSGPH
— Grant Lancaster (@grantlan145) June 6, 2020
Just before 11 p.m. tonight, cops started closing in on protesters in Brooklyn who were out well past curfew.
Cops with their batons ready as marchers walk on Atlantic past curfew pic.twitter.com/yQexjV586s
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020
Somebody is asking the police if they know about social distancing.”You gotta keep six feet away!” one protester shouts.
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020
There was a report of an unidentified driver of an SUV driving through a crowd at the corner of Brooklyn Avenue and St. John’s Place in Crown Heights. There were no reported injuries so far.
Apparently this car ran into another crowd Brooklyn Ave. almost spread through this one. pic.twitter.com/dsa2DFJqAt
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020
But so far, there’s been little trouble between police and protesters in Brooklyn. A crowd of protesters returned to the front entrance of Barclays Center and were allowed to take a knee.
Protesters pass a line of cops to fill space in front of Barclays. An organizer asked if it was ok for everyone to take a knee for a minute. White shirt nodded yes. pic.twitter.com/m53pmSV3aa
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020
Things are ending peacefully. Officers just looking at the crowd in silence. pic.twitter.com/jhi33kfw4g
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020
And now the crowd erupts in cheers. Tonight’s protest ended without any scuffles with officers so far. Organizers are really trying to encourage people to go home warming people not to linger. Besides, they’ll be back tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/d3f9Jd7j80
— Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech (@AODNewz) June 7, 2020