Photos: Black Lives Matter rally
More than 2,000 people gathered on the University of Arizona Mall, Tucson, for Black Lives Matter Tucson: Celebration of Black Lives on June 6, 2020. Afterwards several groups marched towards downtown, but were met by Tucson Police and Arizona Department of Public Safety officers.
Black Lives Matter
The crowd lifts their fists as the black national anthem is sung during a Black Lives Matter rally on the mall at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
Onlookers use the stairwells at the Student Union Memorial Center to overlook the crowd of thousands thronging the Un of A mall during a Black Lives Matter rally, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
The crowd of several thousand during a Black Lives Matter rally on the mall at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
A woman walks through the attendees spritzing water on hot crowd offer a little relief during a Black Lives Matter rally on the mall at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
The crowd of several thousand gestures enmasse to the Tucson Police helicopter orbiting overhead during a Black Lives Matter rally on the mall at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
Hip Hop artist Cash Lansky gets the crowd to salute as he wraps up a three hour Black Lives Matter rally on the mall at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
Tucson Police deploy a line under an I-10 overpass to prevent a few hundred protestors from entering downtown via Congress, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
Tucson Police officers don their gear before heading into a line confronting a few hundred protestors trying to access downtown at Congress at I-10, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Black Lives Matter
A crowd of a few hundred regroup after being blocked from entering downtown on Congress at I-10 by a line of Tucson Police, Tucson, Ariz., June 6, 2020.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
The Celebration of Black Lives event, to remember black people killed by police around the country, brought out people of every creed and color who heard speeches, watched musicial performances and danced for three hours as temperatures peaked in the mid 90s.
A member of Black Lives Matter Tucson said she was "heartened" seeing about 3,000 people show up to the "Celebration of Black Lives" event on Saturday.
More than 10,000 signatures were submitted and dozens of calls were made to the city council, demanding that the Tucson Police Department be defunded.
The updated policy was approved by regents Thursday. It is intended to be consistent with new federal regulations related to how schools should investigate sexual misconduct.