The front of the march, March 24, 2018. All photos by Frank Gormlie.
Up to 20,000 San Diegans rallied and then marched through part of downtown San Diego, calling for gun control and an end to the NRA’s influence in politics. Led by students from schools across San Diego – the crowd assembled in front of the San Diego County Administration Building at Waterfront Park, listened and cheered speakers threatening politicians who support the NRA with their votes, decrying assault weapons, and the ability of people who shouldn’t have them to easily purchase them.
At one dramatic moment, everyone who could was asked to kneel while the names of the student victims from Parkland were read out loud. Names of other victims of gun violence from law enforcement were also added.
There were many, many young people and students at the demonstration – many probably at their first large protest. A lot of parents – and grandparents – were also there. With a call for the crowd to make room for the students to lead the march – people of all kinds of ages poured onto Harbor Drive and marched the basic one-mile loop that circled back to the Park. This reporter observed more signs at this protest than most in the city.
There was a tiny handful of counter-demonstrators attempting a disruption, whom the crowd ignored for the most part. Rallies and marches were also held at Escondido City Hall and in Encinitas.
The crowd – although huge by San Diego standards – truthfully, was not as large as the January 20th Women’s March. It was however larger than most city protests and twice the size that organizers expected.
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Thanks for covering this great event so well. I found it interesting that other media reported the turnout, citing the police, as between 5,000 and 10,000. I thought there were more, and this discrepancy makes me question their credibility. Thank you for being a credible news source.