Attendees of Los Angeles’ 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade numbered in the tens of thousands Monday, with many of the men and women holding signs that read, “Black Lives Matter.”
While always a sizeable event, this year’s parade drew individuals that hadn’t attended in years. Many of them felt motivated by recent high-profile shootings of unarmed black men in states like New York and Missouri.
Los Angeles City Council Member Herb Wesson, the parade’s Grand Marshall, struck a cohesive tone.
"If you want to be successful with anything, take a peaceful approach that we are all together," Wesson said. "What's good for one group of people is good for all groups."
Four people were arrested during the parade, but the event remained largely peaceful. In San Francisco, 60 protestors partially closed the San Mateo Bridge and had to be apprehended, according to California Highway Patrol. The BART station in Oakland was also briefly shut down as part of a "Reclaim King's Legacy" march that began with protests outside of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s home.
Monday’s events coincided with a new Gallup poll which highlights strained race relations across the country. Just 30 percent of respondents say they are satisfied with U.S. race relations, compared to 55 percent last year.