Black Lives Matter 5280 – Alejandro Gomez-Meade

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In a small park on the outskirts of Denver there is a rumble of noise. It's a mixture of anger and grief. An epidemic of police officers killing innocent people of color continues throughout the country and their actions go largely unpunished. The community is outraged and in Sonny Lawson Park people gather for what will become Denver's largest march for the Black Lives Matter.

Participants of the Black Lives Matter 5280 march gather at Lawson's Park in the historic Five Points Community before proceeding downtown.

Accompanying the participants and to assist with directing the crowd, a member of the Nation of Islam observers the crowd leave Sonny Lawson Park for downtown Denver.

Protesters proceed from Five Points to Civic Center Park via Broadway. Police on bicycles and motorcycles line the road as protesters chant "No justice no peace".

Reverend Dawn Riley Duval, one of the leaders of BLM 5280 organization joins in chanting "No justice no peace".

Members of the Nation of Islam escort participants in the BLM 5280 march through North Broadway, stopping traffic on one of Denver’s busiest streets.

The BLM 5280 march reaches Denver's County Courthouse and holds a vigil for victims of police violence.

On the steps of the Denver's County Courthouse, a 4 minute moment of silence is observed representing the 4 hours Michael Brown’s body lay in the street before it was removed by authorities.

A hand places flowers under a wreath commemorating victims of police violence during the BLM 5280 march in Denver.

Participants of the BLM 5280 march embrace after a vigil is held on the steps of Denver's District Courthouse for victims of police violence.

BLM 5280 march leaves Denver's District Courthouse and proceeds to 16th Street Mall.

People leave restaurants and cafes to watch the BLM 5280 march as it continues through 16th Street Mall in Denver.

A woman puts her hands up, a gesture that has become synonymous with the Black Lives Matter movement as participants of the BLM 5280 march chant "Hands up don’t shoot".

The BLM 5280 march continues through Stout Street as participants chant "I believe that we will win".

A participant of the BLM 5280 march holds a sign that reads "Black resistance Matters".

A child holds a sign with iconic hashtags of the Black Lives Matter movement during the BLM 5280 march in downtown Denver.

Participants of the BLM 5280 march make their way back to Sonny Lawson Park while Police observe and direct traffic.

Participants in the BLM 5280 march return to Denver's Sonny Lawson Park to celebrate the conclusion of the peaceful protest.

Michael Brown an unarmed African-American teenager was shot 6 times by a police officer in Ferguson, MO. The officer responsible for his death faced no charges for his actions. In Denver, two men of color Ryan Ronquillo and Paul Castaway were both killed by officers and faced similar outcomes. The Black Live's Matter movement gains momentum a small organization in Denver called BLM 5280 is formed.

Co-founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, BLM 5280 is a response to the injustice people of color face throughout Denver.

It's now August 9th 2015, the one year remembrance of Michael Brown's death. With the help of BLM5280, an estimated 300 people from the community prepare to march from the historic black neighborhood of Five Points to Civic Center Park to hold a vigil for victims of police violence in Denver, Colorado.