Tens of thousands took part in March for Science in downtown LA

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The science of politics was under a microscope in downtown Los Angeles Saturday as tens of thousands of people took part in the nationwide March for Science.

Demonstrators packed Pershing Square in the morning for a pro-science rally and then marched through the streets to the steps of City Hall.

The march synched up with Earth Day and took place in cities around the world. Scientists and their work are on the defensive.

"There's been an anti-science undercurrent for a long time, but it's really come to a head. And it's time to listen to the science, it's time to listen to the facts. Facts are facts, there are no alternative facts. The truth is the truth and science is the best way to understand the truth," organizer Philip Wheeler said.

Organizers highlighted what they call the growing trend to politicize science. They said the march is not a partisan event, but an effort to reach both liberals and conservatives.

"Both the left and the right ignore science when they don't like it. One side ignores climate change, the other ignores vaccinations. We can't make reality what we want it to be," seismologist Lucy Jones said.

Whether the march is partisan or not, President Donald Trump and his policies were in the crosshairs - from his proposal to cut $6 million from the National Institutes of Health to his dismissal of climate change evidence.

"We've got to take a stand and explain to Donald Trump that he can't stop global warming just by emitting an unprecedented volume of hot air," Congressman Brad Sherman said.

There were no estimates on crowd size, but organizers said there appeared to be more than the 50,000 people who registered to attend online.