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Black Lives Matter Protest Draws 100 In Riverhead

Around 100 people gathered in downtown Riverhead on Long Island on Sunday to protest the killing of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota at the hands of police.

Vanessa Vasquez-Corleone organized a similar protest in 2012 after the death of Trayvon Martin.

“All we have to do is meet up, and it could make a difference. If we stand up another town might stand up and then another town might stand up, and something might just happen.”

Sunday’s protest started with about 30 people meeting at noon, but an hour later that number had swelled to around 100. The peaceful crowd was largely met with support as drivers honked their horns or pumped their firsts in the air as they drove by.

One person who stood towards the back of the crowd was Ken Miller. He wore a Trump baseball cap, brought his dog with him and waved an American flag. Miller said he was there to support police and that protesters should move on.

“Racism is over. Slavery is over. We have a black president for Christ’s sake. Who would’ve thought that would ever happen?”

Vasquez-Corleone disagrees. She fears for the death of her son at the hand of police. Riverhead officials had previously told her to delay the protest, but she said that it needed to be held as the wounds were still fresh.