BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Friday protestors marched from Hertel Avenue to the Buffalo Police "D" District station to join a nationwide push for racial equality. And for the most part it was peaceful, until protestors were approached by two individuals, one of which had a knife.
Buffalo Police say no one was hurt; however, Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo tells 2 On Your Side one of the protestors has filed a harassment report against one of the men for allegedly pushing him.
According to Darien Chandler, a protest organizer, he says the two men approached marchers and started telling them they "don't belong there." That's when he says the protestors' security team helped to deescalate the situation by moving them back with bikes.
Friday's protest was one of several across the country, commemorating the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington while also fighting for racial equality.
Chandler says what happened shows the "blind hatred" happening everyday in the U.S.
"My reaction is what's happening in this country is why? From Wisconsin to Buffalo, it's showing more and more everyday there is blind hatred and on a very historic day," Chandler said. "Everyone knows what this day consisted of and to be greeted like that, like we're the savages and we're the animals is just pathetic."
Rinaldo says it appears to be a folding knife in those photos. He added that detectives have identified one of the men who approached the protestors, but are still working to identify the other.
No charges have been filed yet, but Rinaldo says police are in contact with the Erie County District Attorney's Office.