A large group of protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles Friday for a July 4 rally opposing federal immigration enforcement raids and other policies of President Donald Trump’s administration.
The “End of Occupation” rally was clogging streets in the downtown area Friday afternoon, and the Los Angeles Police Department issued traffic advisories requesting the public to avoid Alameda, Temple, Aliso and Spring streets, and Cesar Chavez Avenue.
The event was sponsored by the group 50501 SoCal in conjunction with SEIU Local 721, CARECEN, NDLON and the Community Power Collective. The groups staged a march through the area, which began Friday morning outside City Hall at 200 N. Spring St.
The march was planned along a roughly 1.5-mile route on Spring and Alameda streets, Cesar Chavez and Grand avenues and First Street, ending back at City Hall, according to organizers.
Videos from the scene showed thousands of people, many carrying Pride flags, and flags of Mexico, the United States, California and Palestine, and a 15-foot-tall helium-filled balloon of President Trump wearing a Russian military uniform.
Similar July 4th protests were planned to take place across the country.