#BlackLivesMatter: Richmond youth protest police brutality

Although the city's homicides in 2014 dropped to the lowest number in decades, its residents felt the pull of protest against police brutality in the wake of Michael Brown's death. And Richmond made headlines when its own Chief of Police joined the protests while wearing his uniform (Chief Magnus gave an interview to Richmond Pulse about his decision). The RYSE Youth Center spearheaded Richmond's first demonstration against police brutality and specifically the killing of minorities by police. Hundreds stood on MacDonald Avenue, holding signs that said #BlackLivesMatter and chanting, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!” “We have felt the impact locally of what’s happening on a national scale. Our young people continually feel victimized by systems that don’t meet their needs." Read more about the event on Richmond Pulse.