WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Chants echoed throughout Public Square in Wilkes-Barre as protesters raised their signs and shouted to let their voices be heard.
"Fight for equality, that's what we're here for it doesn't matter if your black, white, Hispanic, Latino everybody should be treated equally. Nobody should be above anyone else," said Jessica Lopez, a protester.
The demonstration, which was organized on Facebook, drew hundreds of people to protest the death of Geroge Floyd in Minnesota earlier this week, as well as others who recently lost their lives during interactions with police.
"If I saw a police officer with their knee on a white person's neck, I would videotape it if I could, I would try and stop it if I could the same as I would if It was a black person because you know what we're all the same," said Danielle Avila, a protester.
"I pray for the people who do not agree with the protesting that something changes inside of their hearts that they realize that this is important. That everyone deserves to live in America with the simple rights that every person should have," said Nicole Dante, Protest Organizer.
Protesters say their signs demonstrate the outrage they're feeling when it comes to the death of George Floyd and inequality.
While it was the second day of peaceful protests in Wilkes-Barre, other parts of Pennsylvania, like Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, saw violence.
On Saturday night, Governor Tom Wolf signed a declaration that allowed the Pennsylvania National Guard and the Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner to activate and protect the public.
Sunday afternoon, the governor addressed the commonwealth, citing the need for peaceful protests.
"Yesterday was a challenging day for the commonwealth. Many Pennsylvanians join together to speak out against injustice, and they need their voices heard peacefully," said Governor Tom Wolf. "In some of our cities, however, including Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh, people took advantage - some people took advantage of these peaceful protests, and they incited violence and looting."
Police departments from in our area were called to help in Philadelphia Sunday.
Officers from five different Lackawanna County departments headed south together.