At Arlington National Cemetery, President Barack Obama gave his annual Memorial Day speech. The president said that he had just returned from meeting troops in Afghanistan where, he said, the war would soon come to an end.
The traditional ceremony was attended by members of Congress, cabinet members and other Washington VIPs as well as a large gathering of others.
#SecDef delivered remarks today during a #MemorialDay Ceremony at @ArlingtonNatl Cemetery Amphitheater. #HonorThem pic.twitter.com/zXOOqbWMka
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) May 25, 2015
Memorial Day festivities also included marches by family members and friends of fallen soldiers…
Saluting the #WWII generation at the National #MemorialDay Parade pic.twitter.com/EeK0aBfbdX
— Veterans Affairs (@DeptVetAffairs) May 25, 2015
…and cap off a weekend of activities that include Rolling Thunder, in which thousands of motorcyclists — with many veterans among them — converge on Washington, riding from the Pentagon to the National Mall to demonstrate their own commemoration.
Each #MemorialDay #RollingThunder rides into #DC here are 8 things you may not know http://t.co/oYP03751NX #HonorThem pic.twitter.com/iVYLO95k56
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) May 24, 2015
While there were celebrations around the country, some activists wanted to return attention to the "fallen" African-Americans killed at the hands of police officers around the country such as those who disrupted the Memorial Day activities at Coney Island in New York.
NOW: Protesters Disrupt #MemorialDay Celebrations at Coney Island Boardwalk (Photos: @KeeganNYC) pic.twitter.com/UEJsEuRHrP
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 25, 2015
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