NYC, other cities join Baltimore in Freddie Gray protests

NEW YORK, April 29 (UPI) -- At least 1,000 people gathered in New York's Union Square on Wednesday to join Baltimore in the call for justice in the death of Freddie Gray.

The group rallied at the location then marched west down East 17th Street chanting "no justice, no peace" and "hands up, don't shoot."

"The game plan is to make sure people are politicized about the issues that are happening in terms of police brutality," one organizer told WABC-TV in New York. "What's happening not only in communities in Baltimore, but in Brooklyn and Harlem and across the country."

Police in New York told protesters to remain on the sidewalk and at least a dozen people were arrested for failing to follow those orders.

Similar marches were held in Boston, Minneapolis, Houston and nearby Washington, D.C.

Hundreds of people marched from Chinatown to the White House, shutting down busy intersections.

"I'm out here tonight because change has to happen," one protester, Sherita Sweeney told The Washington Post. "Sitting behind your laptop, tablet or cellphone complaining -- you're part of the problem, not the solution."

The demonstrations were held simultaneous to a large one that started at Baltimore's Penn Station. Protesters there marched to City Hall then headed back to the train station in what the Baltimore Police Department called a peaceful protest on its Twitter account.

The department said there had been no injuries or arrests reported in Wednesday's protests.