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Dallas Mega March Organizers on Lower Than Expected Turnout: Fear Kept Many Home

Several thousand people marched through downtown Dallas for immigration reform and racial equality.

The crowd at Sunday’s Mega March was considerably smaller than expected.

The Dallas Police Department reported on Twitter the crowd was estimated at 3,200.

Organizers believe there were more than 20,000 people between the peaceful demonstration and afternoon rally.

Still, they feel their message rang loud and clear.

“The people united, will never be divided!"

That was just one chant heard at the Dallas Mega March 2017.

While thousands of people took to the streets of downtown Dallas, apprehension was present for many.

College student Gloria Rinconi fears the DACA policy, temporarily protecting her from being deported, will be taken away.

“We're in a tense place we don't know what to do,” she said. “My scholarship depends on my DACA and if DACA gets taken away we're kind of in the middle of nowhere."

Fast food worker, Crispina Torres worries she'll be deported and separated from her American grandson Ivan.

“Of course and I have a 14-year-old daughter and I'm scared of leaving her behind,” she said.

Participants obliged requests to only bring American flags.

Martin Luther King III and other local and national dignitaries led the way.

“There's a constructive way to go about immigration but we seem not to be approaching it in that way,” said King III. “People, Americans are coming together and saying we as America can and must do better.”

King III added he would like to mobilize people for the 2018 mid-term elections.

“If we had mobilized as communities around our nation and voted, maybe we would have a different outcome,” he said.

There were small confrontations between anti- Trump and pro-Trump people near Dallas City Hall Plaza, but they were quickly broken up.

About four counter-protesters like Dustin Marvin, waved Trump and American flags.

He says he wanted to attend to say it's about putting America first.

“We don't have time for people coming from other countries that are raising heck and coming here and trying to do the same thing,” he said. “I just recommend for folks to get it across they heads, if they don’t like Trump, they should go somewhere else.”

Organizers believe fear kept many home.

“People are not coming out to do anything, to get social services, to get Medicaid, to report crimes. There's a tremendous amount of fear," said community activist Rene Martinez. “The numbers to us don't really mean that much. They key is we had thousands of people show up on a Sunday. We had great speakers and we sent a message.”

The Dallas Police Department reported no arrests or incidents during the march or rally.

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