
The People’s Climate March took place on September 21, 2014 in New York City. Billed as the “Largest Climate March in History,” the event (led by 350.org) mobilized unprecedented numbers of people to call for “climate justice for all” and action on climate change legislation and hosted a coalition of more than 1500 unique organizations. Organizers estimated that the total turnout was around 400,000 people (although other estimates are closer to 150,000) and it took more than five hours for protesters to cross the official starting point of the march. Conversely, the recent #FollowFrancis rally for climate justice during the Pope’s visit to Washington, D.C. on September 24th2015, mobilized only a few thousand participants. Despite expectations for a large turnout for the event, people attending the rally filled only the front portion of the first of five blocks portioned off for the event on the National Mall.