Thousands descend on D.C. in the name of racial justice, one of many nationwide protests
WASHINGTON — The nation’s capital teemed with protesters Saturday, in what was the largest demonstration against police brutality in the city since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters Friday that local officials were projecting between 100,000 and 200,000 protesters.
Washington has seen daily protests for a week, and they have largely been peaceful, with people marching back and forth from the White House to the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial.
On Saturday, several smaller organized groups seemed to converge into one massive demonstration near the White House, and the area that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser deemed "Black Lives Matter Plaza" on Friday. (Our 8-hour live shot below shows how crowded the area remained throughout the day.)
One large group even walked into the District from Virginia across the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
There were zero arrests during demonstrations in D.C. on Thursday and Friday, and Mayor Bowser canceled the curfew that had been in place earlier in the week.
A number of D.C. churches and theaters opened their lobbies Saturday so people could cool off. Several groups offered protesters free food and water.
Below, take a look at the sights and sounds that ABC7 crews captured throughout the day:
