Demonstrators continue to occupy City Hall Wednesday morning

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Demonstrators continue to rally for change following the death of Daniel Prude, claiming they won’t be moving away from the doors of City Hall.

Protesters have been blocking access to the building, demanding the firing of the officers involved in Prude’s death since Tuesday morning.

While demonstrators let people go home Tuesday, they say no one will get into the building Wednesday morning or any morning until more change takes place in Rochester.

Protesters spent the night in tents on the steps of the building.

Organizers for Free The People Roc and Black Lives Matter came to City Hall following the release of a scathing 400-page internal investigation conducted by Deputy Mayor James Smith. The report shows how the police department and members of the mayor’s staff covered up the cause of Prude’s death and withheld information from Mayor Lovely Warren.

However, demonstrators and Prude’s family say the investigation and Warren’s 8-point plan for change fall short of what they want.

Daniel Prude’s brother, Joe Prude, says the family wants to see the officers involved in his brother’s death held accountable.

“Everybody know that was an elaborate cover-up. You know what I mean? There’s no more further things they can possibly tell us. Now, all we want them to do is tell us one thing. They ‘finnin’ to go apprehend them people that murdered my brother,” JoePrude said. “That’s all I want to know."

The mayor fired the Rochester Police chief and suspended the city attorney and communications director. The seven officers involved in the case have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation into their encounter with Prude back on March 23.

On Wednesday, City Council is holding a Listening Session to allow community members the opportunity to weigh in on what’s been happening and make suggestions for changes.

The Zoom meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. and will be streamed on the City Council’s Facebook and YouTube pages.

For full coverage on the death of Daniel Prude, click here.