Rochester City Council briefed on Daniel Prude protests

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) —The Rochester City Council was briefed by the Rochester Police Department again Monday afternoon regarding the department’s response to the past few nights of protests over the death of Daniel Prude.

It was one of Chief La’Ron Singletary’s final duties.

Coming off a mostly calm week of interactions between protesters and police, members of city council had some questions about some tense moments Saturday night.

That’s when about 250 to 300 protestors were stopped at the intersection of Child and Wilder Street, and there was a five-hour standoff between police and protestors.

At that intersection, on the other side of the bridge, is a police substation.

Demonstrators say while exercising their right to protest, officers used unnecessary force against them.

According to the Rochester Police Department, throughout the night, protesters threw bottles, rocks and eggs at the officers.

Three arrests were made.

Sunday night was the 12th straight night of protests.

The costs of these protests was also addressed.

Singletary says the Rochester Police Department has spent more than $1 million.

"From May 29 to June 30 is about $470,000," Singletary said. "And since July 1 to Sept. 13, this fiscal year, it’s about $1.1 million. So the total cost from May 29 up until Sept. 13 is one million six hundred three thousand dollars, four hundred and forty-two dollars and forty-three cents ($1.603,442.43) so $1.6 million."

When asked who was paying that $1.6 million for the police to cover these protests, the mayor jumped in and said taxpayers and the City of Rochester.