Members of the Latino community and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement were shocked to see the Public Safety Building closed when they showed up for a photo op Thursday evening.
The event was intended to be a gathering of members of the Latino community, posing with a banner outside of the building. Supporters were surprised and disappointed to see that the court had also been shut down early, bus routes in the area had been affected, and barricades blocked the steps up to the building on exchange street.
Ana Casserly was at the event and said they weren’t there to protest police, but to stand for their people and their beliefs.
Rosemary Rivera said the event was blown out of proportion.
"This was going to be like, we're standing here, we're with you and we really intended to be quiet. And that's it. We wanted to take a good picture, and look like fierce advocates and movement builders like we are. That's all."
Rivera also wondered what the police response means for future protests and gatherings in the city.
"Which makes me think the next time B.L.A.C.K. the organization does something to raise awareness, what are they going to be faced with? I think that some communication really needs to happen because this is not the reaction that I was expecting."
Rochester Police issued a statement saying that they did not know to what extent or magnitude the protest would involve. They say that barriers were placed in a position that would allow people to exercise their 1st Amendment rights with little to no police presence.
RPD also says that the public safety building was never shut down and that no streets were shut down.
B.L.A.C.K., Building Leaders and Community Knowledge, is the group that coordinated the Black Lives Matter protest at the Liberty Pole this July.
A calm crowd of about 30 people showed up to the event, and maintained a peaceful tone as people took turns addressing the crowd, urging messages of unity and solidarity building between the Latino and black communities in Rochester.