Hundreds march in parts of Broward, Miami-Dade for 2nd weekend

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Hundreds of people took to the streets of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties for the second weekend in a row to call for the justice in the death of George Floyd.

SkyForce HD hovered above the demonstrators along Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale while chanting and holding up signs, just before 6 p.m., Saturday.

Broward Boulevard was shut down as protesters headed east.

“We want to be accepted. We want to be in unity. The word is unity,” said demonstrator Brandon Rattan.

In a tweet, Florida Highway Patrol confirmed they’d shut down southbound ramps to Interstate 95 near Broward Boulevard. At around 6 p.m., those ramps reopened to traffic.

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Before heading east on Broward Boulevard, protesters made their way past the Federal Courthouse near West Broward Boulevard and Northeast Third Avenue in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Hundreds also pounded the pavement in Miramar, Saturday afternoon, including rapper Rick Ross and Tracy Martin, the father of Trayvon Martin.

Both men called for change.

“We have to really, really start valuing everybody’s lives,” said Martin. “Oftentimes we say ‘black lives matter.’ We all know all lives matter, but all lives aren’t in jeopardy as much as black lives are in jeopardy.”

“It’s all about us coming together as a unit and moving as one, so this one voice is heard around the world,” said Ross.

In Davie, protesters lay face down in honor of Floyd.

“I can’t breathe,” they chanted.

Meanwhile, students marched and even knelt at Florida International University in West Miami-Dade.

“We’re establishing and affirming that black lives truly matter,” said a protester.

Demonstrators also gathered in front of Trump National Doral Miami.

“It’s not their fault that they were born black. You can’t be responsible for the way that you were made,” said protester Jamie Parker. “All humans deserve the exact same equality.”

Back in Fort Lauderdale, Broward Boulevard reopened to traffic at around 6:40 p.m.

In the City of Miami, protesters met in front of the Torch of Friendship before they made their way to the Wynwood and Midtown Miami neighborhoods.

No arrests had been reported as of 9 p.m., when a countywide curfew went into effect in Miami-Dade.

Saturday night, Fort Lauderdale Police posted a video on social media where Chief Rick Maglione commended demonstrators, three organizations, local residents and police officers for that day’s peaceful protest.

Saturday’s marches come one day after protests in Miami led to some tense moments between demonstrators and police in protective gear when trying to cross onto the Julia Tuttle Causeway and I-95.

In Davie, former boxer Evander Holyfield appeared at a protest on Friday.

“It’s very important for me to be here because as somebody who worked hard, you have to realize the golden rule. Do onto others as you want them to do onto you,” he said. “It’s for everybody. Everybody gets threatened. At some point in time, everybody’s in the area that they weren’t invited to be in.”

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