16-Year-Old Credited With Keeping Detroit Protests Peaceful

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A 16-year-old boy from Detroit is being praised for his efforts to keep protests in Detroit peaceful. Stefan Perez, a protest organizer, urged people not to violate Detroit's 8 pm curfew, which resulted in another day of protests ending peacefully in the Motor City.

"People wanted to agitate. They're mad at me. But they're home safe," Stefan tells Detroit TV station WXYZ. "They don't got rubber bullets, they don't got tear gas, they're not dead."

Nearly 700 people marched in the name of abolishing police brutality after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Thanks to the efforts of Perez and other organizers, the crowd moved in solidarity with the aid of a police escort.

Peaceful rallies in Flint have made national headlines as well, as police personnel have shown their support for protesters.

In the video below, Perez receives accolades from Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan over the phone.

"Stefan, I was watching the video, and I saw your leadership, I have tears in my eyes," the mayor said. "You are everything that is special about the city of Detroit."

We commend Stefan for his efforts to help spread the word that peaceful protests will have a greater impact in the long run.