Photos: Thousands Participate in Saturday Marches in Arlington

Scenes from an NAACP and Black Lives Matter rally and march in Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Scene from an NAACP and Black Lives Matter rally and march in Arlington in June 2020 (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Former Arlington Branch NAACP First Vice President Kent Carter at a Black Lives Matter rally in June 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti at an NAACP and Black Lives Matter rally and march in 2020 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

An estimated 3,300 people participated in a series of marches and protests in Arlington on Saturday, some later marching into D.C. and joining the more than 10,000 demonstrators in the District.

The protesters demanded justice for George Floyd and other victims of police violence. They also demanded policy changes and “meaningful and urgent reforms for racial justice.”

Marches held signs saying “Black Lives Matter” and “Stop Killing Us.” They braved the day’s heat and most wore masks to protect fellow marchers during the pandemic.

One march went from Columbia Pike to a protest event in Ballston, before continuing on to a larger event in front of county government headquarters in Courthouse, where county officials, activists and members of the local NAACP spoke. From there, many went on to march into D.C. via the Memorial Bridge, escorted along the way by Arlington County police.