Americans gather on the National Mall

  • 11/10/2015
Attendees listen as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan speaks (Reuters)
Attendees listen as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan speaks (Reuters)

Thousands of African-Americans have gathered in Washington to mark the 20th anniversary of the "Million Man March", making renewed demands for justice reform and greater civil rights.

Saturday's demonstration (local time) on the National Mall - the grassy, mile-long promenade between the US Capitol building and the Washington Monument - follows a series of high-profile incidents of police violence in involving black Americans over the past year.

The anniversary event gathered people from across the US hoping to push elected officials to do more to combat social and economic inequalities, as well as violence that disproportionately affects communities of colour.

Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, organised both the original 1995 march and this year's "Justice or Else" gathering.

The scope of Saturday's gathering however, unlike the march 20 years ago, included a call for justice for a range of ethnic and overlooked groups.

US President Barack Obama attended the original Million Man March but he was in California on Saturday.

AFP