More than 500 marchers traveled from San Francisco’s Caltrain Station to Yerba Buena Gardens today for a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Many arrived on board a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day train, which traveled from San Jose to San Francisco with stops in Palo Alto and San Mateo. The march left Caltrain station around 11 a.m., blocking traffic from Third and Channel streets to Third and Yerba Buena Gardens.
#MLKDay #FreedomTrain march moving across bridge near 3rd and Channel pic.twitter.com/curHdsvNl4
— Jessica Christian (@jachristian) January 16, 2017
Today’s events at Yerba Buena Gardens are being held with the theme “Justice in the Beloved Community.” They include a social justice panel at 1 p.m., in conversation with journalist and performer Al Letson, as well as a community health festival, live music and poetry readings.
Mayor Ed Lee released a statement in honor of the civil rights leader.
“As Dr. King said, ‘We must work increasingly to uplift this nation that we love to a higher destiny, to a higher plateau, to a more noble expression of humanness,'” he said. “Together, San Francisco will continue to be the city that builds stronger and healthier communities; encourages diversity in every neighborhood and at every business; and provides sanctuary to everyone, regardless of race, income, sexual orientation or immigration status. San Francisco will fight for the progress we’ve made and hold itself accountable to achieve its highest ideals and values.”
Bay City News contributed reporting to this story.
The Yerba Buena Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Waterfall near Fourth and Mission streets in San Francisco, Calif. Monday, January 16, 2017. (Jessica Christian/S.F. Examiner)
Find out more at www.sfexaminer.com/join/
