Los Angeles Police prepared for as many as 20,000 demonstrators to participate in a “Millions March for First Amendment Rights” Saturday in the Fairfax and Miracle Mile districts of Los Angeles.
Dozens of social media posts on the Internet said the march would be a peaceful protest to air claims of police misconduct in Ferguson, New York and Los Angeles.
The march was to start at 2 p.m. at Pan Pacific Park, near South Gardner Street and West Third Street, said Los Angeles police officer Nuria Vanegas said of the Media Relations Section.
One map posted by organizers showed the march going east on Beverly Boulevard, south on La Brea Avenue, west on Wilshire Boulevard, north on Fairfax Avenue, then again west on Beverly.
The plan was for it to conclude at approximately 6 p.m. at South Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard.
The LAPD Wilshire station began rolling street closures to protect the marchers at 1:15 p.m., Vanegas said.
Social media postings indicate today’s march is part of several similar marches in major American cities.
—City News Service