Official crowd estimates for events like the annual Seattle MLK Day march are hard to come by but organizers said Monday the 2017 gathering might have been the largest in the 35-year history of the event.
You could also measure the crowd by the CHS video above — four and a half minutes to walk from the start of the procession to the SPD contingent bringing up the rear. The marchers passed from Garfield High School to E Union then E Madison and onto the Federal Building downtown.
You can learn more about the history of the event and the day of workshops at Garfield High School that accompany it at mlkseattle.org. More images from the crowd, below.
MLK Day parade Seattle. pic.twitter.com/h59wJIKf8X
— Leah (@Leah64299466) January 16, 2017
SEA folks have rallied back from Olympia to greet MLK march on E Union pic.twitter.com/w7F1RvQLER
— jseattle (@jseattle) January 16, 2017
Photos from @bush_hos Seattle MLK Day March honoring MLK & walking for justice with Bush faculty, staff & families. pic.twitter.com/5TyeclmvBm
— The Bush School (@TheBushSchool) January 16, 2017
View from the MIDDLE of the #Seattle #MLK march! pic.twitter.com/5LuF6tWVjH
— SEIU Local 925 (@SEIU925) January 16, 2017
"Life's most pertinent and pressing question is What are you doing for others?" #MLKDAY #mlk march seattle pic.twitter.com/XPpGeu2iDW
— Mark Karason (@mkarason) January 16, 2017
#MLKDAY #mlkseattle march for justice pic.twitter.com/URZ8jgRqNH
— {(null hypothesis}) (@Null_Hypothesis) January 16, 2017
Celebrating the life, the (continuing) struggles and accomplishments of #MLK and many more here in Seattle. #WeShallOvercome pic.twitter.com/QqkMJCWbed
— Tim Durkan (@timdurkan) January 16, 2017
Wow, great turn out. Were there any arrests?
I don’t believe so. In comparison to Black Lives Matter marches, there were seemingly less police, and the police seemed less on the defense.
What a beautiful crowd!!!!
Why were so many Seattle Police paid to protect Uncle Ike’s Marijuana store? Did they think that it would be singled out for some violent act during a non violence march? Did he pay for this over the top protection? If not why not. This is confusing. We who say we are on the same page must give up the privilege that the foregone Democratic leadership had in place. It was a slippery slope stepped on many years ago. When a State Legislator it was the Gingrich Contract on America days. My Right Wing Conservative colleagues would call me the spine doctor for interjecting backbones where they no longer were among Democrats. Then they would say tell your caucus they can not out republican the Republicans. All of this knowing that we just mouthing our ideals was not heard by most and now look at who is going to be President of what should be a “great nation moving forward”
What percentage of those marching will stay the course, bring their privilege, see others as their sisters and brothers. As hard for non whites and non privileged to reach outside of comfort as it is for the white and or privileged. Whites are hurting right now and African Americans especially know how to be resilient in the face of great pain and loathing. We have done it for 400 years and more. I do not march any more but I do the work that others do not want to do because it has to be done everyday. EVERY DAY! The work I do everyday is educating those who our schools say they can not educate, and house families who should never have to think of living with children in a car. EVERYDAY, NOT A PAID JOB, but a passion and conviction. EVERYDAY!