ROCKFORD — Mayor Tom McNamara called on the community to reject violence and lawlessness during a news conference Sunday, following chaos that ensued Saturday night when a peaceful downtown protest gave rise to rioting and looting.

For too many years, the mayor said, Americans have largely ignored "systemic injustices that have plagued institutions in our country and have been embedded into the fabric of our society.

"I want people to realize that I can’t stand and I don’t condone rioting and looting, but I think we also have to understand that this is just a symptom," McNamara said. "We are going to continue to repeat this cycle if we don’t recognize the reason for the anger and the frustration, which is real.

"We need to be better," the mayor said. "We need to be better at listening, and that begins with me. That begins with our city."

McNamara and Police Chief Dan O’Shea were joined by several City Council members and civic leaders during the news conference to address Saturday night’s protests and the police response.

A demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd, who was killed May 25 when a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck, started shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday in Haskell Park near downtown. It was peaceful for hours until unrest began in the evening at the District 1 police station on West State Street.

After a panel of glass at the station was shattered by a rock, S.W.A.T. arrived on scene and tensions between police and protesters escalated. Many maintained a nonviolent standoff with police, standing face to face, some protesters with their hands raised. There were some who hurled objects — water bottles, rocks, tree branches — at officers. Several people were arrested after clashes with police.

It wasn’t until around 10 p.m. that the station was cleared and quiet after police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. By then, looters had hit other parts of the city, breaking into multiple businesses.

Among those hit were Levels and Cricket on Auburn Street and Soto’s Jewely on East State Street. Looters also broke into Burlington Coat Factory on East State Street and set a fire.

Police arrested at least 10 people on Saturday, though there may have been as many as 15 taken into custody, O’Shea said. Many of those responsible for the lawlessness were from out of town, judging by license plates observed by police officers, he said.

"We don’t want looting," O’Shea said. "We don’t want those people back. Don’t do it. We need everybody in this community to step up."

Meanwhile on Sunday, volunteers were at the District 1 police station helping clean up the mess.

Check back for more later today as this story develops.

Kevin Haas: khaas@rrstar.com; @KevinMHaas