Amid a string of riots in Oakland, community activists are pushing for the rehiring of former police chief Leron Armstrong.

OAKLAND, CA (KGO) — Two and a half weeks after Auckland Mayor Sheng Tao fired police chief LeRonn Armstrong, saying she was no longer confident the chief could do the job needed to achieve the goal; Violence organizations, nonprofits and families who have lost loved ones to the violence on the streets of Oakland are fighting back.

“Restore Chief Armstrong because he cares about this community, he really cares about us and our pain,” said Angelica Page, a mother who lost her 14-year-old son to a gunshot wound. “Who else cares how he is?”

RELATED: Former Oakland police chief Armstrong shoots mayor, federal watchdog after being fired

It comes after Oakland police said they were investigating a series of incidents of violence after four people were killed in four separate shootings just last weekend, three of which took place on Feb. 24.

“February 24 was called Bloody Friday, we lost a few of our loved ones, so many shootings over the weekend,” said Daryl Allums, a spokesman for the Stop Killing Our Children movement.

Murders Rachelle Tillis is all too familiar with after losing her son to gun violence in 2017.

“We have to stop these killings, so we need someone who knows what they’re doing,” Tillis said.

RELATED: Oakland police chief says federal monitor’s report is inaccurate

Initially, Armstrong was placed on paid administrative leave when a federal monitor questioned his handling of misconduct charges against one of his sergeants.

Now organizers are pushing for a town hall meeting with Mayor Tao amid the fallout.

“We’re asking the mayor to take responsibility for what she says she’s going to do, you take care of the community, here we are,” said Brenda Grisham, organizer of Saturday’s rally.

RELATED: NAACP members rally to demand reinstatement of former Oakland police chief

Armstrong was not at the rally, but he released a statement saying:

“I thank them for supporting me and my (politics) as a leader in providing justice for the victims, reducing violence and improving public safety in Oakland. We will not give up the fight.”

While the search for a new police chief is already underway, Armstrong’s legal team already filed a formal appeal to contest the firing last week.

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