Thousands of people turned out in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday following a week of steady protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.
The huge gathering remained peaceful, with no major incidents reported by authorities.
The group spent much of its time in front of the Hall of Justice, where demonstrators called for the removal of Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, saying she hasn’t done enough to hold police accountable.
One protester told KTLA he was proud to be a part of the demonstration.
“The crowd is actually doing their job — they kept it peaceful and everything,” he said. “I feel obligated to be out here. I feel like it’s a duty of mine.”
He added that he believed the voices raised in persistent protests over the past week are being heard.
“The message is definitely coming through, one day at a time,” he said.
Demonstrator Joe Brown said he wanted to witness the moment for himself.
“I wanted to experience this new birth, this new interest in this generation. I just wanted to be here,” Brown said.
“These people, they’re out on a mission. They’re showing the world that they care, and this is something that the world needs right now,” he said. “This is a great thing for Los Angeles, for the country, for the world. This is history.”
A group of about 75 demonstrators remained seated in front of City Hall past 10 p.m., after police declared an unlawful assembly, and had announced intentions to be arrested.
Another large group of protesters made their way through West Hollywood and Hollywood simultaneously.
Meanwhile, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Wednesday the curfews that have been in place since Saturday to help halt destruction stemming from the huge protests are expected to end Thursday.
