Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Huge march commemorates Martin Luther King's 'dream' speech

Huge march commemorates Martin Luther King's 'dream' speech
Copyright  Jacquelyn Martin/ Associated Press
Copyright Jacquelyn Martin/ Associated Press
By Michael Braithwaite with Al Jazeera
Published on Updated
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy to clipboard Copied

Tens of thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in the US capital which commemorates a 1963 civil rights march.

ADVERTISEMENT

Months of widespread protests and unrest over the police killings of black Americans culminated on Friday with a National March in Washington DC.

Tens of thousands gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in the US capital which commemorates a 1963 civil rights march.

The "Get Off Our Necks" campaign is about demanding equality and policing reforms.

It comes in the midst of fresh outrage and renewed protests after Jacob Blake, a black man, was shot multiple times in the back at close range by a policeman in Wisconsin.

Two people were subsequently killed during protests on Tuesday night and a third person was left injured in the attack.

Another factor in the shadow of the event is the US election in November.

President Trump is campaigning for a second term on a law and order platform - which has seen his opponent Joe Biden accusing him of 'pouring more gasoline on the fire'.

Following the commemorative rally, participants in Washington ended the day with a march to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

17-year-old arrested after two shot dead at protest in Wisconsin, USA

National Guard called out after protests in Wisconsin over police shooting of Black man

Wildfire burns homes in historic California Gold Rush town