It’s been a year since protests for police accountability became a typical sight in Rockford. A couple months back, protesters began pasting pictures of
ROCKFORD Demonstrators will conduct their weekly protests of racial injustice at Rockford City Market again this year even as an expanded market footprint will make it more difficult to deliver their message to visitors.
Gone this year are dedicated protest zones that officials say demonstrators ignored last year. And the streets where protesters marched a year ago will now be inside an expanded City Market area filled with vendors, displays and activities.
Market and city officials say the demonstrators aggressive tactics are meant to agitate, disturb and disrupt a market where about 55 vendors many of them women and minorities plan to work in an effort to establish or expand businesses. In addition to the pandemic, officials blame the demonstrators and their clashes with police last summer for low market attendance in 2020.