'It's Genocide': Demonstrators Flood Center City To Protest Shooting Of Jacob Blake, Police Brutality
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A crowd wearing red and chanting for peace gathered at Philadelphia's City Hall Friday afternoon in support of Jacob Blake and all others affected by police brutality. It was a peaceful protest that flooded Center City.
Eyewitness News saw one police vehicle vandalized with white spray paint, but police were nearby in case things took a turn for the worst.
Protesters took over Center City streets Friday, declaring that Black Lives Matter.
"How do you fix a system that isn't broken? How do you fix a system that was rooted on the capture and murder of black people?" one protester said.
Hundreds gathered to rally for justice outside of City Hall. The rally was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Those in attendance say they stand in solidarity with Kenosha, Wisconsin, and are demanding justice for Blake.
"I'm tired, I've had enough. We are humans, everyone's a human. We all bleed red. This is it, we've had enough," protester Nadja Schmidt said.
Blake was shot in the back seven times by a Wisconsin police officer. Protesters say they are marching to make sure the same incident doesn't happen here in Philadelphia.
"It's genocide. We're losing lives and we're here to protest that. Shut it down," protester Jess Conda said.
Protesters say they're just getting started and they'll continue to speak out against racial injustice.
"Dig deeper, y'all. Do the work, have more conversations, peel it back. White supremacy is at the core of everything. Talk to your relatives," Conda said.
According to Mayor Jim Kenney, every Philadelphia police officer was on duty.