SAN DIEGO – Hundreds of San Diego’s youth gathered Wednesday to protest in a local park, demanding police accountability and a platform for black voices.

“That was very cool,” said Marqus Coley, attending his first-ever protest. “It shows that you know, enough is enough and that we’re out here.”

The protest was organized by several area youth groups who came together to champion causes that are close to their hearts. Protesters marched from Kate Sessions Neighborhood Park to Pacific Beach, and back. Along the way, they frequently were cheered by residents along the route.

It was just the latest in a series of local and national demonstrations following the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd, who died on Memorial Day as a police officer pressed a knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Coley and others his age say Wednesday’s protest was an important moment to be a part of.

“I’d rather be here than anywhere else in the world,” said Scott Anglim, part of an amateur medics group on-hand for the protest. “There’s a lot of hurt going on in this community and people ⁠— no matter what they look like ⁠— should come out and support any and every community possible.”

The night’s event remained peaceful with no arrests made. It ended with a moment of silence that lasted for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the exact amount of time Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck as he gasped for air.

Chauvin and three other officers were fired from the department for their role in the incident and all four now are facing criminal charges.

“I know that our generation and generations before and after us will keep this movement alive until we see justice,” said Melena, one of the event’s organizers.