MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the 11th night, a hundred or more Memphians came together to march through downtown. For many, it was their first night protesting.
The Mid-South saw multiple protests Saturday braving one of the hottest days of the year. The downtown one began at 6:30 p.m. at the I Am A Man plaza before wrapping up at the same spot just after 9 p.m. an hour before the curfew.
The march was led by Pastor DeVante Hill. Again, they called for reform in the Memphis Police Department and end to racism.
In past protests, there was a divide among activist leaders on the direction they wanted to take. During Saturday night's march Frank Gotti and Darin Abston joined Hill after previously being vocal against his approach. The three said there message was stronger unified.
For it being the 11th night, many people joined the protest for the first time.
Recent high school graduates TJ Albert and Johan Gonzalez came out for the first time together.
"He tugged me like we gotta go, we gotta go. So that's what really made me and I've seen all the news and stuff and I really want to be a part for myself and to represent my culture," Albert said.
"I told him well we should go out here and protest for something that's worth our time that matters that truly will define our generation and really we're out here marching not for any partisan political issue but for the death of an innocent man who was wrongly killed," Gonzalez said.
Former Memphis Tiger Basketball player Will Coleman also joined the protest for the first time.
"The biggest issue at hand is equality. African-Americans on all level just want to be treated like everybody else and it's only fair and it's only right," Coleman said. "It's not right for your our rights, our well-being stripped from us."
Hill will lead another protest at the same location on Sunday night at 4:30 p.m. and will be joined by local clergy.