Several thousand people joined hands Sunday evening in Charleston, South Carolina, in a show of unity following the deadly attack on Emanuel AME Church last week.
The Bridge to Peace unity chain spanned the iconic Ravenel Bridge, which covers 2 1/2 miles between Charleston and Mount Pleasant.
Large crowds gathered on both ends of the bridge.
The crowd is huge and extends a few hundred yards down the path to the park. #chsnews #Emanuel9
Mount Pleasant side of Unity Walk #CharlestonShooting @postandcourier
Others showed their support from the water below.
Traffic continued past the walk, which was limited to the pedestrian lane of the bridge. Many cars honked as they passed by.
Organizers expected at least 3,000 people to attend the event. Local police, paramedics, and the transportation authority were all involved with logistics.
By a police early estimate, 10,000 people attended, the Post and Courier reported.
Once the sides met, the crowd joined hands and spent nine minutes in silence in memory of the nine victims of the shooting.
The Charleston and Mount Pleasant sides have finally come together #CharlestonShooting #unitychaincharleston
"Hate won't win." #UnityChainCharleston #BridgeToPeace #CharlestonStrong #CharlestonShooting #IamAME
After the walk, people sang, cheered, and hugged.
The unity walk came after worshippers returned to Emanuel AME Church for Sunday morning service.
