On December 13, community members in Santa Cruz joined people across the country for a national day of protest against police violence. The focus of the protests have primarily been on the police killings of three black individuals, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, which all came to national attention in 2014.

After a rally at the Town Clock, demonstrators marched down Pacific Avenue to the corner of Cooper Street where a die-in was held for 4 1/2 minutes, which represented the 4 1/2 hours that Michael Brown's body lay dead in the street after he was killed by Ferguson, MO police officer Darren Wilson in August. As people laid down on Pacific Avenue, a large crowd formed, speakers were heard, and traffic was stopped. Demonstrators also stopped traffic during a short rally at the corner of Pacific and Soquel Avenue, and then again on Ocean Street in front of the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), which was the ultimate destination of the march.

Rallies for justice for Michael Brown, and in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Mo., were held in Santa Cruz in August after Brown's killing, as well as on November 24 and 25, following the Missouri Grand Jury's decision not to recommend the indictment of officer Wilson.

Read More with Photos | See Also: Santa Cruz Takes it to the Streets for Mike Brown | Ferguson "Day After" Gathering in Santa Cruz

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