Massive crowds of several hundred protesters moved through the heart of Hollywood Tuesday, navigating their way around police officers and National Guard troops blocking main streets.
Sky5 was overhead as they traveled westbound down Hollywood Boulevard around noon, some carrying signs as they walked alongside the Walk of Fame. For three hours, several hundred, possibly thousands, marched.
“It’s the right thing to do,” one protestor told KTLA, adding that she would walk as far as she needs to.
At Sunset and Vine Street, some National Guard members stood armed with guns, and tactical vehicles behind them, just after 1 p.m. Video posted by Twitter user @taylorsantiagoo shows at least a dozen National Guard tactical vehicles lined up on Hollywood near Highland Avenue.
Several of the federal agency’s members were standing on the Walk of Fame. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti later told reporters 1,000 were stationed throughout the city.
Rapper YG had called on people to join him in protesting at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street on Monday, asking for “positive vibes” and “no looting” at a protest planned for Tuesday at noon. But he later expressed concerns over safety.
“I was told today that my protest is not safe, and that people can get hurt,” he tweeted Tuesday.
Still, the demonstrations continued as protesters often changed directions when faced with local and federal authorities blocking roads. They splintered into smaller groups, scattering throughout the area for more than three hours.
“I’m here on behalf of my skin color and my people,” a protestor told KTLA, adding that he was not there because of YG or any other celebrity.
Around 2:45 p.m., at one intersection along Hollywood, protesters raised their arms in the air in front of officers blocking parts of the road. Aerial footage from Sky5 shows the protestors starting to back out of the intersection. It’s unclear why they left, or what was being said by them or the officers.
Within two minutes, the protesters all left the intersection, and several officers on motorcycles arrived. The officers blocked all four ends of the intersection while demonstrators carrying signs moved to a side street.
Since noon, police officers and National Guard troops have been blocking main streets through similar tactics.
Earlier, a large crowd walking down Hollywood splintered off into two groups, one continuing eastbound on Hollywood and the other turning southbound onto North McCadden Place. They changed directions after dozens of police officers blocked different parts of Hollywood Boulevard.
“We can stand silent anymore. There’s no justice, so there’s no peace,” a protestor told KTLA, adding that she was there as an ally. “We’re here for justice for George Floyd and for everyone who has lost their lives before now.”