Hundreds protest climate change along 2 miles of Wilshire Boulevard

Hundreds of people protesting climate change picketed street corners Saturday along a 2-mile stretch of Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The spread-out rally was one of seven staged in cities across California as a preview of a demonstration expected to draw as many as 400,000 on Sunday in New York City.

The Wilshire Boulevard protest was met with a raucous serenade of honking horns during the four-hour demonstration.

Participants ranging from college groups to environmental and social activist organizations waved hand-painted signs that blasted dirty-fuel dependence.

“Save the humans,” read one.

“Tax carbon stop global warming,” said another.

Other said: “Fix the climate or the climate will fix you,” “Don’t frack with us” and “System change not climate change.”

Brad Davies of Northeast Los Angeles sported a tiny American flag in his hat as he held up a sign that read “Rupert Murdoch -- the puppet master of climate denial.”

Four-year-old Rachel Meltzer of Glendale held a sign reading “Climate action now!!! 100% clean energy.”

Asked by her father, Adam Meltzer, if she wanted to keep Glendale green, Rachel loudly proclaimed, “Yeah!”

Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz thanked children who were taking part in the demonstration. “What we’re talking about here is what kids of the future will face,” told the protesters. “This is the challenge of our generation. This is World War III.”

Echo Park resident Kwazi Nkrumah reminded the crowd that last week’s heat wave might foreshadow what’s coming next.

“By this time next year this will feel like cool weather,” he warned.

Jack Eidt, whose group So Cal Coalition 350 helped organized the protest, described the protest as “building blocks against climate change.”

He said 2,000 similar events were planned nationwide in solidarity with Sunday’s New York event.