BUFFALO, N.Y. — A peaceful protest in Niagara Square — turned chaotic.


What You Need To Know

  • Karen Huffman was struck by a truck during a protest in Niagara Square Wednesday night
  • The Protest was in response to a Grand Jury's decision regarding Breonna Taylor in Louisville, KY
  • Huffman, from Buffalo, is alive, but injured

"All of a sudden, you could hear this engine revving. And everybody was like, 'get out of the street!' " remembered Dianne Britain, a friend of Karen Huffman's and fellow activist.

On their bikes as members of Slow Roll, Dianne Britain turned to see her friend, Karen Huffman, right in front of a driver barreling through the crowd in a truck.

"I watched her smash into Karen on her bike. I watched Karen fly up and land on the ground," explained Britain.

Britain ran over to Huffman, who is now in the hospital with a broken wrist, injuries to her arm, shoulder, and her hip.  

"She's a badass. She gives me strength every day," said Britain.

"I always saw her smiling, riding her bike alongside us, making sure we were all safe and protected," noted Megan Koury, another local activist.

Koury, who knows Huffman from various protests, says the woman is strong and supportive.

She says Huffman recently became a legal observer.  

"The job of a legal observer is not necessarily to get involved with protesting, but to be there if things go down and write down anything that happens," said Koury.  

Huffman is also a Slow Roll leader, and can usually be seen on a bike — something she's determined to get back on.

There's nothing that's going to keep her down, keep her from fighting for these things.

“It's just in her makeup — in her genes," noted Britain.

Huffman's friends told Spectrum News’ Jeannie McBride that despite being in the hospital, Huffman is in good spirits. They also say whenever she's released from the hospital, they expect her to be right back out there, protesting for justice.