A rally was held in Paterson on Tuesday evening in memory of the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death.

The gathering was held in honor of Floyd and in solidarity with his family and those who have lost someone to racial injustice and police brutality.

Organizers with the Paterson chapter of Black Lives Matter and dozens of community members gathered outside the Paterson Public Library on Broadway to demand that more should be done to prevent these tragedies.

“Even though there was a conviction, there have been plenty of deaths afterward. Over 200 Black people have been killed by police officers since the death of George Floyd,” says Zellie Thomas.

The demonstrators called for police reform across the country.

“When we talk about safety, the safest communities don’t have more police officers, they have more access to resources. What we need here in Paterson is not more cops, it’s more access to resources,” Thomas says.

They say that the Paterson police budget is $40 million while the recreation budget is only $2 million. They say that more funds should be put into activities for the city’s youth.