Demonstrators held a second anti-police brutality protest in as many days in Jersey City.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of City Hall Tuesday afternoon. The rally was organized by the Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition to protest police brutality.

Police officers joined in on the crowd – to show solidarity and to also keep the peace. Jersey City Police Director James Shea was also on hand.

The organizers say that they know that the issue of police brutality won’t be solved in a day, but they say that these types of events and conversations need to continue to make progress.

 

They also made a comparison between the bad police officers and the rioters and looters who have been taking advantage of the peaceful protests.

“The same way a lot of the protest and uprisings and rebellions have turned violent and it taints what they are actually there fighting for – it’s the same thing when police behave badly. It tanks the entire force and what they stand for,” says co-organizer Pamela Johnson.

Johnson says that she asks good police officers to call out the bad ones. The group is also calling for Jersey City to create a civilian complaint board.

The protesters marched down Grove Street after few people gave speeches where they

 

set up a vigil.