Students gather hundreds in Buffalo Grove so 'real change can be made'

Just a few students, mostly recent suburban high school graduates, were able to gather hundreds of people for a peaceful rally Thursday in Buffalo Grove.

One of the students, John Fine, a Stevenson High School 2019 graduate who is now studying political communications at George Washington University, said the reactions of crowds in Chicago and other large cities to the George Floyd killing at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer persuaded him and friends to organize in the suburbs.

"Because a lot of times you see movements in the city that don't go super far, but it's when people in the suburbs, people in places of privilege, can work together, then real change can be made," he said earlier. "We thought if we could have something peaceful and smaller and more controlled in the suburbs, then maybe we could have good change here and people could have conversations."

The event drew hundreds to the sunny, grassy field behind the Buffalo Grove Park District Fitness Center at 951 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove.

The event included a table to register to vote.