May 24, 2021
Story #1 Free the People Roc Marches to Promote ‘Daniel’s Law’
Over the weekend, Black Lives Matter group Free the People Roc, held a march and rally to bring attention to mental health needs in our communities. Dozens gathered in downtown Rochester calling on all lawmakers to pass Daniel’s Law, a bill to further expand the creation of mental health response units. The naming of the bill was inspired after Daniel Prude’s death. The bill was first introduced in February 2021 and created to allow mental health specialists to respond to those crises instead of police officers. The two assemblymembers that are sponsoring the bill, Harry Bronson and Samra Brouk, had attended the rally. They hope to include the bill as part of the current legislative session.
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Advocates pushing for the passage of Daniel s Law, one that would mandate mental health professionals, not police, respond to crisis calls statewide, remain steadfast and even optimistic.
Activists from Free the People Roc wrapped up a week of advocacy related to Daniel s Law and Black mental health causes with a Black Mental Health Matters gathering Saturday morning at Parcel 5 downtown, a spot they ve re-named Daniel Prude Square in honor of the 41-year-old Black man who died in March 2020 while in the throes of a mental health crisis at the hands of Rochester police officers.
The event included perspective on mental health resources, an update on the law from the two state lawmakers who are co-sponsoring the legislation, a walk, and an art installation.
Created: May 14, 2021 12:45 PM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) Rochester Police shot and killed a man early Friday morning during a traffic stop on Glasser Street near Masseth Street.
Neighbor Shateisha Carter told News10NBC Reporter Emily Putnam she was woken up by the sound of gunshots. It was about 4:52 in the morning, I heard about 7, 8 shots, and then about six, seven minutes later the police were flying by, blocking off the street, Carter said.
Police said one of the people in the car refused to get out of the car, and a short time later, officers observed a handgun in the suspect s possession. During the interaction, officers said police shot into the vehicle, striking the suspect. A man in his 20s was killed.
Dozens of protesters gather outside the Federal Building in Rochester on Wednesday afternoon. A couple of hundred people protested outside the Kenneth B. Keating Federal Building on State Street in Rochester Wednesday afternoon, in support of Palestinians being injured during the recent increase in violence in the Middle East.
One of the protesters, Basem Ashkar, called on U.S. politicians to stop support to Israel.
“Israel must stop killing Palestinian people and their children and stop destroying their houses, enough is enough,” Ashkar said.
Basem Ashkar speaks outside the Rochester Federal Building during a protest Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/DEtlF5JDxo Max Schulte (@maxrocphoto) May 12, 2021