The events drew hundreds of people on different sides of ideological fences.

In downtown Miami, crowds started gathering at 2 p.m. at the Torch of Friendship for a religious protest. Pastor Carl Johnson of the 93rd Street Community Baptist Church, one of the organizers of the event, said pastors throughout Miami-Dade as well as Broward County were participating in the peaceful gathering as a sign of unity.

"It's not just one culture," Johnson said. "It's all cultures and faiths coming together unified for a proper, peaceful protest. This has never been seen in Miami-Dade at this level.

"And you're going to hear me talk about a purposeful plan, because you can't just have a protest and no plan. We can push forward to make our society better when it comes to racism. Bottom line: Racism is hatred. Racism is intolerance toward another culture."

Johnson laid out a three-pronged plan that "God will honor" and includes legislation, civilian investigation panels of police actions and a push for voter registration in minority communities.

Another speaker, Pastor Rich Wilkerson of the VOUS church in Miami, told the crowd he was having his morning Cheerios when God spoke to him.

"He asked me what would I want to do? And I said 'I think I'd like to go march with my brothers and sisters,'" Wilkerson said "That's what I want to do."