MIAMI, Fla. – A protest group that gathered Sunday in Wynwood ended up making their way from marching on the streets to climbing chain link fences to get onto Interstate I-95. Florida Highway Patrol ended up closing the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway near NW 6th Ave., and also the Julia Tuttle Causeway from around 8 to 9 p.m. Sunday.
The group, started its march just after 6:30 p.m., leaving Panther Coffee in Wynwood before heading south along Miami Avenue toward the city’s historic Overtown neighborhood.
Police on bicycles followed along, keeping a close eye on the crowd through the march.
After a few hours, the mass of people eventually started to head back north, along NW 6th Avenue, right next to Interstate 95.
Around 8 p.m., with Miami-Dade County’s 9 p.m. curfew only an hour away, the crowd didn’t seem like they wanted to chance it, but they got close to I-95 and kept getting closer.
They stood behind fencing, chanting and hollering at police. Some of the protesters climbed up onto the concrete barrier wall and shouted at police. Several Florida Highway Patrol officers in riot gear were on the highway, making sure no one tried to hop the fence.
(See Trent Kelly’s report from the scene below)
But, about 15 minutes later, the crowd did exactly that, when several hundred protesters scaled chain link fencing that had been torn down and turned sideways to create make-shift ladders to gain access to the interstate.
Troopers shut down all lanes of traffic on Interstate I-95 and the entrance to the Julia Tuttle Causeway, blocking cars and setting up a perimeter. While they walked along the highway, police kept their distance from the group of protesters and allowed them to have their space to get their message out.
After a brief stare-down, everyone did eventually move out. They were rushing to get back to their cars before the 9 p.m. curfew to avoid any reason for arrest.
Terrence Julius of Miami said he isn’t giving up anytime soon.
“We come together because we are tired of seeing the young generation getting destroyed. That’s why we’re out here. We’re out here cause we want to fight. We’re out here because we want truth."
And, he and many others are vowing to continue the fight, no matter how long it takes.
“I don’t care if it takes all summer long. I’m there,” Julius said.