An estimated 175,000 people packed Boston Common and the surrounding streets today for the rally and march. Headline speakers included Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Attorney General Maura Healey, and Mayor Marty Walsh.
Organizers had originally expected about 60,000 attendees, but that was increased to 80,000 yesterday. Our first inkling that this was going to be something more was when we parked on Tappan St. in Brookline, to take the Green Line (trolley) in. Tappan St. is about the third stop on the C branch, but the first trolley was jammed. The second one we barely managed to squeeze on, and very few people were able to board after that.
We never got close enough to see the stage. I managed to see the top of the stage, but that was about it. I was not able to hear very much; the sound system was not sufficient for the area it had to fill. I’m pretty good at getting through crowds, but this was difficult to get through. Most of the Common except for the southeast corner (near Park and Boylston) was packed, and I’ve seen news video showing Beacon St. and Arlington St. full of people, and spilling even further.
My wife and I really needed to do this. We’ve been very upset ever since. It appears that we were far from the only people who felt that way.
Usually when we’ve been to major events on the Common, the crowd starts to disperse as we walk out along Boylston, Newbury, Comm Ave, or what have you, and by the time we reach Mass. Ave. there’s not much sign that there had been an event; by Kenmore Square it has completely dissipated. That was not the case today. We walked out about as far as St. Mary’s (maybe 1.5 miles), and a very large fraction of the foot traffic was still due to the rally. The trolley at St. Mary’s (the first outbound stop at grade on Beacon St.) was jammed, and we barely squeezed on. A lot of people got off at Coolidge Corner, but even beyond Washington St. the trolley was still dominated by people from the rally. Including a group that had been singing This Land is Your Land on our inbound trip that my wife recognized.
Lots more here.