Thousands of protestors, dozens of partner organizations and local leaders gathered at Esplande Park in Fort Lauderdale Sunday as part of a national We The People rally and march, hosted by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
A spokesperson for the organization said that clickers at the event counted 4,200 marchers, who braved the midday rain to make their voices heard.
"We have government that's -- they're making plans, but we know who makes the last decision: we, the people," one event attendee said. "We're going to stand up for what we believe in."
Sunday's South Florida march was one of four happening across the country through AHF. We The People marches and rallies were also held in California, South Carolina and Texas.
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Attendees said they wanted to make their voices heard on a number of issues, particularly those centered on civil rights. The marches came on the heels of several Supreme Court of the United States decisions making headlines, including one in which the court ruled that a Christian wedding website designer did not have to extend her services to same-sex couples. Sunday's march also happened just one day after new laws took effect in Florida, including HB 543, no longer requiring Floridians to have a government-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon.
"People should be able to own guns. The abolition of slavery wouldn't have happened without guns. Harriet Tubman carried a gun," famed actress and director/producer Debbie Allen said. "But today, they should have a license. If you have a license to drive a car, what's the problem with having a license to carry a gun?"
A small group of counter-protesters could be seen in the park, as well as during the march in the city streets, donning shirts that read "Guns Save Lives" and carrying a flag that said "Come and Take It" with the image of a gun. But protests remained peaceful, with security and Fort Lauderdale Police also in attendance.
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"That's why this march is called 'We the People,' and that means everyone," protester Charles Harris said. "When you have the Supreme Court saying that it's legal to decide to discriminate against gay people, that means everybody. That means everyone."
Among the organizations represented on Sunday were those sharing information about voter registration, and trying to get attendees to sign petitions to push for issues such as abortion rights to be on the ballot. Marchers said they were also hoping to make their voices heard on issues such as LGBTQ+ and Black rights, as well as civil rights protections for marginalized communities.
David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was among the speakers during the pre-march rally.
"We're here today to help mark the era of a new beginning; hopefully, invest more in all people of all ages across Florida, but especially our young people in this state that are being disproportionately affected by laws like 'Don't Say Gay,' by, you know, our weakening gun laws, through things like permit-less carry and other things like that," he said. "The reason we're here right now isn't because of one or two or even three elections. It's because of decades of elections and people persisting."
