APPLETON, Wis. (NBC 26) -- Hundreds of protesters marched peacefully across downtown Appleton on Saturday for justice after George Floyd's death in Minneapolis Police custody, as protests continue to grow violent across the United States.
Organizer Cassandra Ross said that since she was too young to safely protest when her cousin, Michael Brown, was shot and killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in 2014, Ross wanted to offer a safe opportunity to protest racial injustices today.
"It's kids out here. It's elderly out here," Ross said. "If someone tried to riot, someone would get seriously hurt."
Ross also asked demonstrators to wear a mask in the age of coronavirus; much of the crowds overwhelmingly obliged with options including handmade fabric coverings and heavier gas masks.
Throughout the afternoon, the diverse crowd of protesters heard from speakers and organizers passionate about the Black Lives Matter movement, standing atop the Houdini Plaza fountains as crowds spanned the intersection of College Avenue and Appleton Street.
Participants came from near and far preaching unified messages against police brutality and racial inequality.
"Honestly, it's more of a sickening feeling that I'm sick of it happening that I feel like I need to join the cause and finally do what I have to do to put an end to it," protester Deangelo Fonder from Wautoma said.
"I came to use my voice like all of these other people have a voice, and our voice needs to be heard," Jeffrey Rademaker, a Fox Valley resident said.
After at least an hour of speeches at Houdini Plaza, marches picked up again up and down College Avenue through downtown Appleton. Even though organizers did not obtain a city permit, Appleton Police directed traffic around the planned march routes that were communicated in advance.
"People probably won't even understand what we go through, our 400 plus years of oppression," Ross said. "But I hope y'all finally see why we do what we do."
There were multiple demonstrations planned in Appleton alone on Saturday, with more being planned throughout northeast Wisconsin in the coming days.
