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Thousands of Los Angeles citizens assembled downtown Saturday morning for the local arm of the national March for Science. The rally featured speakers and demonstrations and the event continues for most of Saturday afternoon. Political representatives, scientists, and policy makers are all giving speeches to reinforce their commitment to facts and the scientific process. While the march bills itself as nonpartisan, the rally speakers emphasize the importance of reality.
Seismologist Lucy Jones was one of the morning's rally speakers. Jones spent 33 years as the "earthquake lady" for the U.S. Geological Survey, a post she left in March in order to pursue developing science-based policies, according to the LA Times. In her speech, she told the audience,
"We are here not to protest, but to proclaim our certainty, because reality matters. Science is a process for understanding reality. We begin from the assumption that there is objective reality that doesn't care what we believe and is independent of our hopes and desires."
According to the LA Times, a few Trump supporters rallied in front of City Hall but were mostly ignored by participants of the march.
Here are some of the best photos and signs of today's march:
Pershing Square, Los Angeles, at 9:30 this morning. #marchforscience #MarchForScienceLA pic.twitter.com/L5LK8xlGGR
— James Repka (@jrepka) April 22, 2017
On the move at #marchforscience #MarchForScienceLA pic.twitter.com/TBxxo4Myxj
— Katie Goldman (@katiebgoldman) April 22, 2017
Honored to speak up for science and our environment on #EarthDay at the @march4sciencela #marchforsciencela pic.twitter.com/9opyzUGocO
— Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) April 22, 2017
