Thousands of anti-Trump protesters march in downtown LA for impeachment

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thousands of protesters called for the impeachment of President Donald Trump as they marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon.

The demonstration began at Pershing Square around noon and made its way to Fletcher Bowron Park near City Hall, where protesters called on Congress to launch impeachment hearings.

The Los Angeles Police Department had officers present to monitor the event, but there were no major disturbances reported.

Among speakers at the rally was Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks, who has drafted articles of impeachment against Trump.

"The Constitution does not provide for the removal of a president because of impetuous, ignorant incompetence. It does provide for the removal of a president for high crimes and misdemeanors," Sherman told the crowd.

Event organizers said they were calling on Congress to move impeachment proceedings forward.

"It is time that congressional representatives do their job and start the process to impeach this president," organizers said in a statement on the group's website, impeachmentmarch.org. "We believe president Trump has committed constitutional breaches, consistently lied, cheated, and enforces laws that primarily benefit him and his billionaire friends at the expense of the country."

Meanwhile, dozens of Trump supporters waved American flags and chanted slogans while gathered in front of LAPD headquarters on First Street.

Ingrid Mueller, spokesperson for Make California Great Again, said she and other Trump backers "like him - love him - because he's for law and order."

"He just wants things to be right. He wants people to follow the law," Mueller said. "People cannot come in here illegally. People have to come in here through the immigration process."

The anti-Trump march in Los Angeles was one of a series of similar events that were being held in cities across the U.S. on Sunday. An Orange County march was taking place at Santa Ana's Sasscer Park.

City News Service contributed to this report.