Monroe County offices at the county building at 39 West Main Street in Rochester will be closed on Friday due to a large demonstration expected in the afternoon.
County Executive Adam Bello says that the County Office Building including the County Clerk’s Office will be closed on Friday, as well as CityPlace at 50 W. Main Street.
Bello says that the related noise and potential road closures from the protest could affect the ability of county employees to complete their duties. Instead, employees who report to these two buildings are preparing to work from home.
The County Clerk’s office will not be processing any public transactions on Friday.
According to a Facebook post titled, Black Lives STILL Matter, it will be a peaceful protest, with demonstrators occupying the sidewalk in front of the county building. Organizers say they will “occupy the space in the submissive positions that black people have been killed in. Sitting, standing with hands behind backs, lying on the ground.” The protest is scheduled from 1 - 4 pm.
Organizers say they will not stop anyone from coming into or out of the building (although with the building closed that shouldn’t be an issue), and they will not stop people from using the sidewalk.
