Protesters gathered in front of L.A. City Hall on Saturday, joining other Angelenos and others across the nation in demanding an end to police violence.
One group of friends between 19 and 21 years old said they wanted the Historic South-Central neighborhood represented.
Spencer said she wanted to lead the group in downtown L.A.
“There were a lot of people at home upset because there were no protests organized by us,” she said.
Her friend Cameron said “it’s beautiful to see” people from all backgrounds come together and “understand the black man’s struggle, the black woman’s struggle and everybody else’s struggle.”
Some demonstrators on Saturday were optimistic that the rallies appear to move the needle, citing the LAPD budget cuts recently announced by the mayor.
But others expressed skepticism about LAPD’s response, such as the vigil held by the department the night before.
“That doesn’t mean anything to me,” said Joy, who held a sign that read “Justice 4 __. Leaving it blank because you ain’t done killing us.”
“The Police Department is rooted in systemic racism,” Joy said. “We need to see a lot more. We need to see complete reform. Nothing less.”
