A rally was held Wednesday night to protest the arrest and beating of University of Virginia student Martese Johnson.

From The Root:

On Wednesday evening, University of Virginia students gathered to protest the beating and arrest of third-year student Martese Johnson, 20, who was accosted by Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) officers in what many witnesses call an unprovoked attack after Johnson was denied entry to a bar.

UVA students marched through the streets chanting, “Shut it down” and “Black lives matters,” NBC 12 reports.

According to the news station, protesters used the rally as a cathartic experience for those affected by the event to share their thoughts. Johnson spoke briefly to the crowd, urging those in attendance to be respectful of each other’s opinions.

“I beg for you guys, regardless of your personal opinions and the way you feel about subjects, to please respect everyone up here, we’re all part of one community,” Johnson said, the news station reports. “And we deserve to respect each other, especially in times like this, thank you.”

According to several news reports, Johnson, 20, an honors student at the school was denied entry to Trinity Bar early Wednesday morning for reportedly using a fake ID. After Johnson was denied entry, several witnesses report that he was walking away from the establishment when two ABC officers approached him to arrest him.

Read more at The Root.

Photo: Screenshot/NBC 12