Two rallies, marches disrupt traffic in Seattle on Saturday

Two marches in downtown Seattle disrupted traffic on Saturday.

The second march started around 2 p.m. Saturday. At 4:30 p.m., the march was blocking Seventh Avenue and Virginia Street.

UPDATE: March has cleared at 7th Ave & Stewart St. 7th Ave will remain closed at Virginia St. pic.twitter.com/zQPSgoLGn8

— seattledot (@seattledot) April 15, 2017

UPDATE: March is on 4th ave heading northbound, blocking from Madison to Union St. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/DKg53FOAFR

— seattledot (@seattledot) April 15, 2017

The event began at 2 p.m. in Westlake Park.

The march is planned to end at the Federal Courthouse.

The Black Lives Matter rally and march will also focus on the tax system.

Here’s the statement from the Facebook page:

We are in a tax system that does not value people of color and black people and apparently America does not have equal taxation with representation Also, apparently Rich people Like Donald Trump don’t pay taxes. So it’s time to stand up and say as the people of the United States that everyone pays a equal share of taxes regardless of economic status and that Black people,people of color and marginalized people stop taking such a hard economic blow when paying taxes. We also DEMAND Donald J. Trump to release his tax returns as.we deserve to know if he is financially responsible

An earlier Tax March Seattle began at 10 a.m. at the Seattle IRS office at Second Avenue and Marion.  Traffic was already affected by around 10:15 a.m. Transportation officials said 2nd Avenue between Marion Street and Madison Street was closed to traffic.

2nd Ave between Marion St and Madison St is closed to traffic. Use alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/KwSrwv0vEq

— seattledot (@seattledot) April 15, 2017

The march was traveling east on Marion Street between 2nd Avenue and 4th Avenue at around 11:45 a.m. Then the group was traveling north in the area, along 4th.

UPDATE: March is traveling north on 4th Ave, presently at Marion St. Use alternate routes and expect delays.

— seattledot (@seattledot) April 15, 2017

Tax March message

An organizer of one of two tax marches says it’s an important step in making sure our federal government remains transparent.

RELATED: Dems unified in opposition to Trump, but what comes next?

Cody Herring told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson that the goal of the march is about demanding President Donald Trump release his tax returns.

“It’s inspired by the Women’s March (in January),” he said, “which was a show of unity and cohesion against the pretty terrible things that have been coming out against the Trump administration.”

Herring said he become involved with the tax march because of what he saw at the Women’s March, which drew tens of thousands of people in Seattle alone.

“I didn’t have a big background in activism before that and it got me really excited and hopeful about how many people in this country many to improve it,” he said.

The march, which is one of more than 150 nationwide, is primarily about taxes. Herring said it will help prove whether or not President Trump has been influenced by Russia — despite Trump tweeting that relations with Russia may be “at an all-time low.”

“There’s really no way to know without the tax returns,” Herring said.

Presidents typically release their tax returns to the public. Efforts by the Democrats to obtain his tax returns continue to be blocked.

A petition to make Trump release his full tax returns that was created in January received more than 1 million signatures.

KIRO 7 contributed to this report.

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