Marchers making their way through New Jersey are demanding changes to the criminal justice system.
The westbound lanes on the Outerbridge Crossing from Staten Island to New Jersey were shut down Monday for the first leg of a journey to Washington, D.C.
Demonstrators on the 250-mile "March 2 Justice" want reforms to end police brutality. The South Carolina man shot dead by an officer who is now charged with murder is just one of the incidents that galvanized protesters.
The march itself sparked controversy, in part by infuriating some Staten Island officials. Officials say the Port Authority should never have allowed the march because they feel that closing one of the busiest roadways between Staten Island and New Jersey is dangerous.
Later Monday afternoon, marchers headed down Route 514 in Edison. A rally was held in the evening in Newark, and the march will also hold events in Trenton.
The march will end in Washington on April 21.