Protesters march for George Floyd across Long Island
MERRICK, Long Island (WABC) -- Several large protests are being held on Long Island Friday over the death of George Floyd, prompting warnings from elected officials.
Locations include in front of Hempstead Town Hall and in Valley Stream, along with gatherings in Babylon, Mount Sinai, Fire Island, Huntington, Huntington Station, Central Islip, Montauk, Shirley and Bellport.
"Nassau County continues to monitor protests in the county while taking every precaution to keep residents, businesses, and the community safe," County Executive Laura Curran said. "Thanks to the cooperation of residents, protesters, and the outstanding work of the Nassau County Police Department, we've had peaceful protests with zero arrests and no one hurt. I continue to have the utmost confidence in our residents during these challenging times, and I believe our communities will emerge stronger and more united if we continue to stay calm, listen, and respect one another. "
Still, there were warnings for motorists to avoid certain roadways.
"Motorists should expect traffic delays today on Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road from the Valley Stream train station to Wantagh Parkway due to peaceful demonstrations," Curran said. "There may also be closures on nearby roadways, but all major parkways will remain open."
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder spoke of maintaining order.
"We draw two lines in the sand," he said. "You are going to bring violence or criminal mischief to Nassau County, we will enforce the law. If you are going to peacefully protest, I don't need to draw a line in the sand to stop thousands from getting past me. That's confrontational. That's going to cause a problem. If there is a safety issue, we will do what we got to do."
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