L.A. protests coincide with national march against police violence

With a national march against police violence underway in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, activists in Southern California planned to gather locally to protest the recent shootings of unarmed African American men.

Protesters are expected at a noon rally in downtown Los Angeles’ Pershing Square organized by Answer LA. A second event is planned for 1 p.m. at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

“We think America needs to be brought to a halt,” said Keith James of Stop Mass Incarceration Network, which is organizing the Hollywood event. “If the normal routine in America is to murder black and Latino people, then we will be disrupting the normal routine.”

While recent protests in Berkeley and elsewhere in the country turned violent, rallies in Los Angeles have generally been orderly. A Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman said no special deployments of officers were planned for Saturday’s events.

“We are expecting it to be a peaceful protest just as all the other ones have been,” said Officer Sally Madera.