Protests held in smaller communities

George Floyd's death has sparked nationwide protests that call for the end of police violence against black citizens.

Here in Wisconsin, the protests are spreading from larger cities to smaller ones.

The Highway 41 bridge over the Menominee River served as the foundation Wednesday for protesters from Marinette and Menominee, Mich., to carry forth their message.

"To let everybody know that this has got to stop. There's no need for somebody that's handcuffed, face down, to have what happened to Mr. Floyd," says Rick Prusak from Marinette.

Organized by the Marinette/Menominee Black Lives Matter Facebook group, close to 100 protestors turned out.

"The police departments here are typically amazing, but everybody needs some work and that's just what we're protesting today is we're trying to spread awareness that police brutality is a thing," says Chase Ramsey, one of the protest organizers.

"I'm here, as we all are, to let those rogue police officers know we're not going to put up with this stuff. Not only do black lives matter, all lives matter," adds Prusak.

By holding signs and uniting as a group, protesters from their teens to their 80's hope the current movement around the country brings change.

"We are criticizing other countries for human rights abuse and then so many of our leaders turn immune to what is happening here in the country. We are all on the planet Earth, and if we don't learn to live together as brother and sister there will be no more planet Earth," says Mildred Hofer from Menominee, Michigan.