An estimated crowd of 1,000 people sat in socially distant family clusters under the dappled sunlight in Maplecrest Park, Maplewood, NJ, to listen to activist speakers and support Black Lives Matter and protest against racism and hatred.
The protest was hosted by the community group SOMA Justice – Addressing Race and Inequality. The protest is one of several planned by student and community groups for the weekend.
Photos and video by Joy Yagid.
Editor’s note: This article initially reported a crowd of approximately 500; however, the participation grew as the event progressed. The corrected estimate is based on feedback from community members and the photographer.