Protesters called for racial justice and denounced police brutality in Boston Sunday, as calls for change continue a month after the death of George Floyd.
On Sunday morning, protesters gathered in Roxbury’s Nubian Square for a Father’s Day protest and rally beginning at 10 a.m.
The rally came amid weeks of protests across the nation after the death of George Floyd, the 46-year-old man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Organizers said they would be making a number of demands, including the creation of a citizens' review board and reforms to improve relations between police and the community.
The rally focused attention on access to voting and increasing opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.
"Marching is fine," said Clifton Braithwaite, an organizer for the protest. "Getting the message out there is great, but you have to put power behind your vote."
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The event included prayer, guest speakers and a march to Malcolm X Park.
The event ended with a moment of silence that lasted for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time a former Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck before he died.
Later Sunday, a Juneteenth protest and rally was set to begin at 4 p.m. at Franklin Park in Boston. Organizers say the protest will call for justice for Black people killed by police officers and reallocating police funding to schools, housing and social services.
