UPDATED — Spurred by the police killing of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, nearly 100 persons gathered at Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park Friday evening to rally for an end to hatred and racism.

Alabama Rally Against Injustice has coordinated another protest that began about 5 p.m. Saturday. Speeches from politicians and civil rights activists are set for the evening at Kelly Ingram Park.

Cedric Hatcher of Song Ministry was at Friday’s protest and said, “I want to bring awareness that this is not just a Minneapolis problem. It’s a Birmingham problem. It’s an Atlanta problem. It’s a New York problem. It’s a Detroit problem. It’s a California problem. It’s a Texas problem.

“It’s a problem all over the country,” Hatcher continued. “Am I my brother’s keeper or am I gonna keep killing my brother?” The group’s acronym stands for Saving Our Next Generation.

Speeches and the release of black balloons were sandwiched between a pair of marches around the perimeter of the park. The racially mixed assembly chanted the name of George Floyd, the man who died during an arrest while a police officer kneeled on his neck. The officer has been fired and today was charged with third-degree murder. Read more.