Marches, Rallies Held In Bellevue, Dormont And Fox Chapel On 13th Straight Day Of Protests
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- For the 13th straight day, demonstrators are on the streets across Southwestern Pennsylvania in response to the death of George Floyd.
The protests began this afternoon in Bellevue, with a second planned march from Dormont to Mount Lebanon, and a third one this evening in the Fox Chapel/O'Hara Township area.
The message was the same for all – an end to systemic racism and police brutality.
"We are not backing down from this. We are demanding real change and that's what we're aiming for. We're keeping the momentum," said organizer Hannah Greene.
The march may have been a small one in Bellevue, but the made sure to yell their message loud.
#BlackLivesMatter protest is about to start in Bellevue. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/MyRBbRbsFV
— Royce KDKA ???? (@roycejonesnews) June 11, 2020
The group began gathering at 3 p.m. in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue where they listened to speakers, including 8-year-old Andre, who called for an end to violence.
They then began marching through the business district and over to Bayne Park where city leaders and protest organizers were set up to hold a listening session and discussion about all the issues Floyd's death in Minneapolis have brought back to the spotlight.
"We can do it together."
World, please allow me to introduce 8-year-old Andre.
He was the first speaker at today's protest in Bellevue. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/M2r9TmmBOg— Royce KDKA ???? (@roycejonesnews) June 11, 2020
Bellevue's mayor told KDKA's Royce Jones that those kinds of discussions should be something that are happening in every community across the country.
"We need to make major systemic changes to a system that has been built to suppress," said Mayor Emily Marburger.
Traffic restrictions from the protest were lifted at 4 p.m.
That's about the time when another group of protesters began gathering in the Dormont. This protest was organized by the same people who put together the protest in Beechview last week.
The group gathered at the Dormont municipal building parking lot and started marching down Route 19 where they staged a sit-in and a few moments of silence in Floyd's memory.
They then made their way over to the Clearview Common area of Mt. Lebanon.
WATCH: KDKA's Shelby Cassesse Reports Live From Dormont
People of all ages joined the protest, and KDKA's Shelby Cassesse saw at least 100 people step out onto the sidewalks to show their support.
"We wanted to keep it going. They want us to be quiet, they want us to stop talking about it. ... but we are never going to stop. We are never going to be tired. So get used to hearing this," said organizer Camille Redman.
The third rally began at 7 p.m. and was organized by Fox Chapel Area Residents for Social Justice. The group met at Squaw Valley Park Gazebo.
Organizers called for a family-friendly event that was co-emceed by Sharpsburg Mayor Matthew Rudzki.
In a press release he says, "The rally represents solidarity of the Fox Chapel Area communities with the Black Lives Matter movement and addressing systemic racism through organizing, listening, and learning, and demanding action to ensure social justice."
"The message is unity. Today, we want togetherness and we're tired of being treated the way that we're being treated," said organizer and speaker Kayla Portis.