Protesters On Shirley Streets For 5th Night Demand Justice

SHIRLEY, NY — For the fifth night in a row, protesters waving signs and chanting, "Hands up, don't shoot!" lined the streets of Shirley in a cry for justice after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Every night during the long week of unrest across the United States, the voices of demonstrators have filled the air in Shirley: "Shut it down," "I don't see a riot," "Black lives matter," "What do we want? Justice?" and "I can't breathe; remove your knee."

Suffolk County Police said on Wednesday, about 150 people were protesting, with road closures in the areas of Sunrise Highway, Montauk Highway and William Floyd Parkway.

A video shot Wednesday showed the group observing nine minutes of silence in honor of Floyd, whose last moments were captured in a video as he begged for help, said he couldn't breathe, and cried out for his mama.

On Thursday night, police said, although protesters were out again, there were no arrests or incidents. It was smaller than the other nights, police said, with the epicenter of the protests on Montauk Highway and the William Floyd Parkway.

(Video courtesy James Banks)

The first night of protests in Shirley was the only night that saw two arrests, with one pregnant woman injured, police said.

There were no reported incidents on the other nights, although no information was immediately available about Friday night's protest, police said.