Thousands march in Seattle for 'March for Our Lives'

Marches to end gun violence happened across the country and in Seattle Saturday.

While thousands of people in Washington D.C. were expected to protest Saturday, thousands more across the country planned their own March for Our Lives demonstrations this weekend.

The goal is to put pressure on elected leaders to take concrete steps to end gun violence.

KIRO 7 has time-stamped updates below and videos that were recorded, in full, live. The Seattle march started around 11 a.m. 

Traffic was impacted in Seattle during march events Saturday.

Tens of thousands of people were expected in Seattle for the march.

The event started with speeches at Cal Anderson Park at 10 a.m., with the march starting at 11 a.m.

Marchers took Pine Street downtown to Fourth Avenue, which they took to Seattle Center. Organizers said light rail was the best choice for reaching Capitol Hill, because the Sound Transit link station is adjacent to Cal Anderson Park.

They suggested drivers dropping people off go to East Denny Way and Boylston Avenue, instead of right at the park.

"If everybody goes to the park, all the streets shut down early and nobody moves anywhere," said Kat Martin, an adult volunteer assisting student organizers with logistics.

Martin suggested that people driving to the march park downtown and then take light rail to Capitol Hill. To get home, King County Metro will run free shuttles from Seattle Center back downtown.

People were able to pick up the shuttle at First and Harrison and ride to Third and Pine. Getting around before, during and after the march was tough, and the weekend closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct won't make it any easier.

The state is doing its twice-annual inspection of the aging structure.

"This march unfortunately was scheduled long after the closure was scheduled and there really was no way to reschedule (the closure)," said WSDOT spokesperson Laura Newborn.

More news from KIRO 7

• KIRO 7 Town Hall: An urgent conversation about guns 
• March for Our Lives rallies taking place across the globe 
• PHOTOS: March for Our Lives 
• One Washington school district already has staff armed with guns
• Bellevue gun shop owner pushes for compromise, raises age to buy rifle to 21 

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