A man poses in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial following the "Commitment Rally: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Friday. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Thousands of marchers make their way toward the Martin Luther King Memorial Jr. following the rally at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Jacob Blake Sr. (C) speaks about his son, Jacob Blake Jr., who police shot seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisc., at the Lincoln Memorial during the "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" civil rights rally. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Chandany Smith attends the commemoration at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI
Crowds gather at the Lincoln Memorial during the "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" civil rights rally. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Crowds cool off in the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Tamika Palmer (C) tears up as she speaks about daughter Breonna Taylor, who police shot in her apartment in Kentucky, at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Crowds gather with signs denouncing police brutality and illustrations of George Floyd. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/UPI
Singer and songwriter George Clinton, of Parliament Funkadelic, stands inside the Lincoln Memorial before delivering remarks. Photo by Jonathan Earnst/UPI
Philonise Floyd (C) tears up as he speaks about his brother, George, at the Lincoln Memorial during the "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" civil rights rally Friday. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
Demonstrators listen to the "Commitment Rally: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" rally. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
A demonstrator holds up a fist while wearing a plastic face shield at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Martin Luther King III, eldest son of Martin Luther King Jr., introduces daughter Yolanda Renee King as she prepares to speak at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/UPI
Martin Luther King III speaks at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
The Rev. Al Sharpton looks out over the crowd as he prepares to speak. Photo by Jonathan Ernst/UPI
Sharpton takes center stage in front of the memorial, where 57 years ago, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI
A protester protects herself from the heat as people gather at the rally. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
The "Commitment Rally: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" is a reference to George Floyd, who died on Memorial Day after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
After the gathering at the Lincoln, participants will march to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
A sign depicts the likeness of Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights movement veteran who died July 17. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Temperatures are checked before gathering as a precaution against spreading COVID-19. Organizers encouraged residents from areas with high coronavirus rates to stay home and watch online or participate in local events. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., speaks to the crowd. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/UPI
Activist Jay Vegas wears a noose while posing with participants at the Lincoln Memorial as demonstrators gather. Photo by Johnathan Earnst/UPI
Crowds gather at the Lincoln Memorial before the start of the event. Photo by Oliver Douliery/UPI
Marchers gather with socially distanced chairs at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI
Lauren Cross waves a Black Lives Matter flag at the Lincoln Memorial. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Friday's demonstration was organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, the NAACP, the National Urban League and the Hispanic Federation. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Ricardo Williams dresses in a Colonial costume at the rally. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
The Rev. Al Sharpton attended with the family of Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was shot dead by Louisville police in March. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI
Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Civil rights activists, lawmakers and thousands of citizens assembled in Washington, D.C., Friday to rally against police brutality and call on voters to spur change with the November presidential election.
Tens of thousands gathered on the National Mall for the "Commitment March: Get Your Knee Off Our Necks," a reference to the death of George Floyd on May 25. He died after a Minneapolis police officer subdued him by kneeling on his neck for several minutes.
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Friday's march -- held on the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream Speech" -- began with remarks from civil rights leaders and elected officials in the exact location King delivered his historic address.
Organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network, the NAACP, the National Urban League and the Hispanic Federation, participants spoke at the Lincoln Memorial before a unified march to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
The network said Friday's march aims to bring attention to police brutality nationwide and call for law enforcement reforms and accountability. Organizers are also seeking to encourage people to fill out the census and vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Sharpton attended with the family of Breonna Taylor, a Kentucky woman who was shot dead by Louisville police in March. Like Floyd's, her death has spurred much of the activism nationwide over the past several months.
One of the first speakers was Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y.
"As the first formerly undocumented member of Congress, I stand here with you today to say, that yes, I am a man. That yes, we shall overcome," he said.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famed "I Have Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963. UPI File Photo
"We must pass legislation to ensure there is police reform," he added. "Let's rid of the chokehold, let's get rid of the knee."
Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee, D-Texas, called for reparations to Black communities and a permanent end to institutional racism.
"We want an America that will stamp out the divisiveness, the intimidation and the threats," she said. "We want a White House that stands as a healer-in-chief, who understands Black mothers' pain and understands your pain."
Supporters hailed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the Democratic House in June but has yet to be taken up in the Republican-held Senate. The proposal would bar police from using chokeholds and remove officers' qualified immunity from civil liability suits.
Others scheduled to speak Friday were the families of Floyd, Taylor and other Black Americans who have died in police-involved shootings -- Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and Ahmaud Arbery.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, Martin Luther King III, Rep. Sheila Jackson of Texas, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez and singers George Clinton, Tyrese and Ne-Yo were also expected to speak at the event.
"For 401 years, there were plenty knees on the necks of Blacks who came to this country. Meet us in Washington on Aug. 28, 2020 as we honor the anniversary of the March on Washington and demand America get its knee off our necks!" Sharpton said in a Twitter post in June announcing the event.
Organizers encouraged residents from states with high COVID-19 rates to stay home and participate in local events or watch online.