Newark, NJ Walk to End Violence is Saturday

It will be a good day weather-wise for Newark's 13-mile citywide peace walk Saturday.

The march led by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka steps off at Chancellor Avenue and Aldine Street in the South Ward in front of Weequahic High School at 2 p.m. It will make its way through the rest of the city's wards as a call to action against gun violence.

Participants can also join the march at these locations which ends at West Side High School:

• East Ward: Pennington Court
• Central Ward: New Community (14th Avenue and Bruce Street)
• North Ward: Waterfront Recreation Center on Grafton Avenue
• West Ward: Ivy Hill Park

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow expects partly sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 80s Saturday afternoon.

Thousands expected to march

Baraka told CBS New York on Friday that people are excited about the march which is bigger than previous similar events held by his administration. He expects a few thousand to participate in the march and other related events including the Latin Festival on Sunday on Bloomfield Avenue.

"The same way we march against police violence and other violence in our community we want to do the same. It's really to raise awareness and unite the community and bring people together around helping law enforcement and other folks reduce violence in our city,"  Baraka told CBS New York on Friday.

The mayor said in his announcement about the event it was important for businesses to close their doors and participate in the march.

The Newark Regional Business Partnership told NJ.com it encourages its members to close and participate in the march. Several businesses told NJ.com that their customers depend on them to be open on a Saturday and would remain open.

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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