LA celebrates inaugural Indigenous Peoples Day at Civic Center in downtown

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Monday marked Los Angeles' inaugural Indigenous Peoples Day.

The celebration was a daylong event commemorating the city's indigenous community at downtown's Civic Center.

Events started at 7 a.m. with a sunrise ceremony on 1st and Main Street. Other events included a 5k run, parade of nations and a concert featuring the Black Eyed Peas and the Native American band Redbone, which concluded the event.

Grand Park and City Hall were used for activities planned throughout the day.

The Los Angeles City Council voted in August of 2017 to replace the Columbus Day holiday with Indigenous Peoples Day.

Councilman Mitch O'Farrell, a member of the Wyandotte Nation tribe, pushed for the switch. Some activists view Christopher Columbus as a symbol of genocide for native peoples.

"It's a reminder that our culture's still here. It's never been extinct, and it still exists," said Chief Anthony Morales of the Tongva tribe.

Los Angeles is one of several other cities nationwide opting to drop Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day.