PREVIOUSLY: Humboldt County Students to March For Their Lives

A crowd of nearly 1,000 people marched through the rainy streets of Arcata today as part of the national “March for our Lives” protest against gun violence.

The protest, organized by local high school students through the Facebook group “March For Our Lives Humboldt,” began at the Arcata Playhouse, where activists spoke out in favor of gun control and about the lives lost to gun violence.

Arcata Mayor Sofia Pereira was among those who addressed the crowd packed in tightly outside the Arcata Playhouse.

“I hope that after you march today, you march to the polls in November,” Pereira said. “That you march into city hall and have your voice heard on the issues that matter most to you, and that someday you march to put your name on the ballot and run for office. No matter how you do it we need your voices in the halls of government.”

After a number of speeches and musical performances, protesters marched through the streets of Arcata, hosting signs and calling for an end to gun violence.

Scroll down for more photos and video from today’s event.

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UPDATE: More photos below by Andrew Goff.