About 100,000 straight and gay people, minorities and not, stretched from Hollywood to West Hollywood on Sunday, as what used to be an annual, raucous Gay Pride march this year became #ResistMarch to protest politics.
Helicopter video showed a crowd filling sidewalks and six traffic lanes on streets which had been closed to traffic. Trucks were positioned from building to building at cross streets: barricades, apparently to block any would-be assailants in cars.
The event was expected to attract as many as 100,000 people. It began at Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, then moved to the heart of West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard.
March founder Brian Pendleton said he was inspired by the early pride demonstrations of the 1970s and the nationwide Women's Marches held in January, one day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
"The mission is to march in unity with those who believe that America's strength is its diversity," organizers said in a prepared statement. "Not just LGBTQ people but all Americans and dreamers will be wrapped in the Rainbow Flag with unique, diverse, intersectional voices gathering together.
"We are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. We are people of color. We are people of different faiths. We are people of all genders and no gender. We are immigrants. We are dreamers. We are people with disabilities. We are parents. We are allies."
As usual with West Hollywood street parties, Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards and some side streets were closed in West Hollywood.
