JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of people rallied at Friendship Fountain in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, calling for accountability in the case of William McNeil Jr.

Back in February, McNeil was stopped by JSO officers during a traffic stop. Body camera video shows him being pulled from his car, pinned to the ground and arrested. The video went viral after showing an officer punching McNeil, sparking outrage in Jacksonville and throughout the country. 

Seven months later, McNeil’s family and supporters are filing a federal lawsuit against the officers involved, Sheriff T.K. Waters and the city of Jacksonville.

“We want to see William McNeil Junior win this lawsuit and get Justice. I mean he’s gonna have this trauma for the rest of his life and it’s just not fair,” community organizer Samuel Hunter said.

Hunter said the protests are part of a broader push for police accountability. 

“The rise of the amount of people coming back to city council or coming to the protest not only just like a one time thing, but consistently it shows that people are fed up with not receiving the answers and the justice that they need,” Hunter said.

Sheriff T.K. Waters responded to the case last month, telling First Coast News there is more to the incident than what is shown in the short clips shared online.

“Because context matters no matter what people think, no matter how many people act like it doesn’t, context matters and I think when you read Mrs. Nelson statement, the context and what happens on a traffic stop is much more dynamic, much more nuance than just when you see us, maybe a five or 10 second clip from from a video, and the importance was to get that out there for people to see that and then will address the other self later on,” Sheriff T.K Waters said.

Organizers say they will keep showing up until there is change.

 “We see our brothers and sisters, our aunties, our moms — one of these situations could be us … it’s that empathy you have for the next person. You want to show up for your community member, so we’ll be out here every day until we get real justice,” Hunter said.

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee says more rallies are planned as the case moves forward in federal court.