UPDATED Dec. 14, 9:11 a.m. ET
New York City and Washington D.C. attracted the biggest police brutality protests on Saturday, but people took to the streets in Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco and smaller cities to support the movement, too.
Chanting "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" and holding signs that say "Black Lives Matter" and "I Can't Breathe," protesters nationwide braved the cold to condemn police brutality -- the controversial topic at the center of the death of Michael Brown and Eric Garner (unarmed black men who were killed by white police officers this summer). Protesters also marched for Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen who was killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman who was eventually acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges by a jury in last year.
Boston
Massachusetts police arrested 23 people in downtown Boston this afternoon, as people marched through the streets and initiated sit-ins.
Protestors sit in the middle of the street as police block them from accessing Storrow Drive. #wbz #wbznews pic.twitter.com/iuZT3V75j7— kim tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) December 13, 2014
Protesters also gathered around the State House steps and Boston Common; others marched toward the Nashua Street Jail.
"Hands up don't shoot" demo chant protesters headed to nashua jail @wbur pic.twitter.com/thROLQj4U0— Bruce Gellerman (@AudioBruce) December 13, 2014
St. Louis
Crowds also shut down popular streets in St. Louis, which is just 15 miles from Ferguson, Missouri, where 18-year-old Brown was shot by former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Last month, a grand jury did not indict Wilson, saying there was not enough evidence to charge him for Brown's death.
Protesters allowed to completely shut down Hall St as they march to STL corrections to protest police & incarceration pic.twitter.com/eRdOV4QOrQ— huy mach (@huyMach) December 13, 2014
San Francisco
At least 45 people were arrested following a mostly peaceful protest against police killings in the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland police said. They were arrested for crimes including vandalism, failure to disperse and resisting arrest. The arrests came late on Saturday, when around 500 people remained on the streets, according to an Oakland police spokesperson. Earlier in the day, thousands of protesters participated in the demonstrations.
Mashable's West Coast editor Kate Sommers-Dawes snapped powerful photos of the scene in San Francisco, as the crowds continued to grow. She noted that the protests were "peaceful" throughout the city.
"This is a peaceful, nonviolent demonstration." Few hundred here now #MillionsMarchSF #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/pue20TVFCm— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner #MillionsMarchSF pic.twitter.com/RQYshTyYBt— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
Die-in, with recording of Eric Garner's last words #MillionsMarchSF #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/XaKMTHaJ4F— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
What looks like thousands on the ground. "I'm minding my business, officer." #MillionsMarchSF pic.twitter.com/zowWPD6dSu— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
In the heart of tourist town now. "Join us." #millionsmarchsf https://t.co/f68Z3Vngt0— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
"Am I next?" #millionsmarchsf pic.twitter.com/yRvytY4tXt— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@ekatesd) December 13, 2014
Oakland
On the ground in Oakland, Mashable reporter Patrick Kulp witnessed thousands take to the streets.
A yards-long strip of cloth with the names of black men & women killed by police since 1999 #MillionsMarchOakland pic.twitter.com/v8T6vQJaOq— Patrick Kulp (@PatrickKulp) December 13, 2014
Oakland Police Department reported few incidents of vandalism by around 5 p.m. PT. Past chokehold protests in Oakland led to windows being smashed and trash lit on fire.
OPD says this car w window smashed has been only reported case of vandalism so far during protests today @KTVU pic.twitter.com/49PlqDOC3K— cara liu (@CaraSFBay) December 14, 2014
"It is our duty to fight for our freedom...we have nothing to lose but our chains" closing words at #MillionsMarchOak pic.twitter.com/lrEcpYlSQ5— Patrick Kulp (@PatrickKulp) December 14, 2014
The march fizzled out around 4 p.m., but another demonstration picked up soon after near Oakland City Hall.
Apparently peaceful now. Let's keep that going. #Oakland should be proud of today without having the night detract. #oaklandprotest— Lt. Chris Bolton (@OPDChris) December 14, 2014
The march continued throughout Oakland and around 8:45 p.m. PT, police encircled protesters on 29th Street and Telegraph Avenue.
Arrests were made, according to eyewitnesses on the ground.
People being arrested one by one. Cop yelled at me that I shouldn't push my luck after I asked to document from closer spot #oaklandprotest— Gabrielle Canon (@GabrielleCanon) December 14, 2014
Berkeley
Earlier in the day, three cardboard cutouts of black people were found hanging on UC Berkeley's campus. One effigy had a sign on it that said "I can't breathe."
A university spokeswoman, Amy Hamaoui, told The Associated Press, that police are looking into who hung the effigies, which she said may be connected to a demonstration that coincided with police brutality protests elsewhere.
Los Angeles
A group of protesters gathered in Hollywood, toting signs like their counterparts across the country. They also staged a die-in.
A die in staged by protestors at cahuenga and sunset blvd #nbcla pic.twitter.com/YSuMLYp6b5— Jane Yamamoto (@JaneNews) December 13, 2014
LA REPRESENTS! Hollywood and Highland 12/13/14 #ICantBreathe #millionmarchlosangeles#LAProtest pic.twitter.com/2gqgqEMvAA@ms_trutalk— Victoria (@NewsLycaness) December 14, 2014
Chicago
Peaceful demonstrators gathered in Chicago, too.
Peaceful protests on Michigan Ave in Chicago #ICantBreathe pic.twitter.com/plvPTdmET3— Brendan Bowers (@BowersCLE) December 13, 2014
The protest was so powerful. This is what democracy looks like. Hands up, don't shoot. #Chicago #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/M7VYANdBH0— Dana (@danesamani) December 13, 2014
But there was still at least one scuffle with police.
Police and demonstrators clash outside Nordstrom's pic.twitter.com/w8yJHDt9gK— Yolanda Perdomo (@yolandanews) December 13, 2014
Rock Island, Ill.
People also flocked to smaller cities, such as Rock Island, Illinois. The Centennial Bridge, which connects the city with Davenport, Iowa over the Mississippi River, has become a hub for protestors in the region.
Dozens now raising their arms, chanting #HandsUpDontShoot at the foot of Centennial Bridge in Rock Island. pic.twitter.com/lGph6JP5wn— Jack Cullen (@JS_Cullen) December 13, 2014
UPDATED 5:20 p.m. PT with additional Oakland details.
UPDATED 6:45 p.m. PT to include Los Angeles and Berkeley information.
Additional reporting by Mashable