LA's March for Science on Saturday was met by a few dozen Trump supporters, who waved American flags and chanted as marchers reached the City Hall, where the main rallies took place. The counter-voices shouted "Stop the Hate," "USA! USA!" and "Donald Trump," but were largely ignored by the marchers. The only audible reaction came from a few people shouting "sucks" after the President's supporters chanted his name. Police officers were there to prevent any clashes, but none occurred.
Contrary to what happened in previous gatherings, where both sides ended up resorting to violence and people got arrested, the March for Science in downtown Los Angeles was a very peaceful, energetic, and family-oriented event.
Thousands of people marched from Pershing Square to the City Hall holding signs and chanting against what they perceive to be an attack on science, facts, climate change, and the work of immigrant scientists, engineers, and other highly skilled professionals.
Diverse coalition uniting for science
"Science is under attack. What do we do? Stand up and fight back," the promoters of the March chanted, enlisting the help of the people who were marching down the streets of Los Angeles. There were senior couples, young couples with strollers and toddlers, young students, groups of friends, and a huge diversity of races and backgrounds. What united them all was the urgency to act. President Trump's administration features notorious climate change skeptics and a number of alarming changes have been made since January 20th, inauguration day.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now in the hands of an oil tycoon, Scott Pruitt, who previously sued the agency multiple times. Its budget is set to be cut by 31%.
"Science sometimes teaches us things we don't want to hear," clamored Sean Carroll, the first high-profile speaker at the rally, speaking of climate change and the negative impact humans are having on the planet.
He is a cosmologist and physics professor, doing research in the Department of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. Carroll has also appeared on "The Colbert Report" several times.
"The best way to live is to face up to the truth," he added. Speakers called for funding, respect for data and the acknowledgment of climate change.
There is no Planet B
"There is no Planet B" was one of the many signs marchers held high as they marched and chanted for hours, braving high temperatures and very little shadow. Other signs included "There are no jobs on a dead planet," "The oceans are rising and so must we" and "Neurons not morons." One woman held a sign saying "DiCaprio 2020 #NoDAPL," referring to actor Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental activism.
At Pershing Square, where the March for Science started and where it went back to from City Hall, there was a small science expo with demos and various entities trying to recruit supporters – the Physicians for Social Responsibility and Draft Bernie, for instance. The latter is an attempt to get Bernie Sanders running for President via the People's Party.
On Saturday, Earth Day, 600 cities hosted a March for Science, not only in the United States but also in Europe, from Portugal to Germany, France and Ireland.
