3:30 p.m. March clears out

The "We Will Not Go Back" march and rally has concluded. Protesters are making their way back home.

3:20 p.m. NYPD borough commander: No arrests, no injuries

NYPD Staten Island Borough Commander Edward Delatorre just addressed the media.

He called the march "terrific," and said the event did not result in any arrests, injuries or incidents.

3:07 p.m. Speeches conclude with NAN counsel

Michael Hardy, the National Action Network's general counsel, concluded Saturday's set of speakers.

"We came in peace, we did what they said we couldn't do," he said. "And they still want to know why we march."

Hardy said justice was served after previous marches — citing Yusuf Hawkins, Anthony Baez and Abner Louima — because people went to jail.

2:53 p.m. City Councilman Jumaane Williams speaks

Democratic City Councilman Jumaane Williams spoke after Jeffries, and began by giving a shoutout to Councilwoman Debi Rose, who is in the hospital and was unable to attend Saturday's march. She represents the district on Staten Island where Garner died and the march and rally are being held.

"I had a dream about a dream, but it turned into a nightmare because people were still getting shot by police," he said. "I had a dream about a dream, but it turned into a nightmare because they keep telling me we're in a post-racial America."

Williams was followed at the podium by Jason Leventhal, a civil rights lawyer who has handled numerous police brutality cases on Staten Island.

"It is time for this city to tell all police officers from coast to coast and remind them that you cannot break the law to enforce the law," he said.

2:44 p.m. U.S. Rep.: "You could end up like Eric Garner."

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said people will try to justify Eric Garner's death with "more stories than Harry Potter," but that the video tape shows what really happened.

"It's a matter of life and death for every one of us," he said. "If you find yourself on the wrong side of a police conflict, you could end up like Eric Garner.

"If I wasn't on the floor of Congress...and I ran into the wrong police officer...he might think I'm a lawbreaker," he continued. "But it turns out, I'm a lawmaker."

2:23 p.m. Mother of Amadou Diallo speaks

Kadiatou Diallo, the mother of 22-year-old Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo, who died in a hail of 41 NYPD bullets in 1999, is now speaking.

Ms. Diallo says she is not against police, only against unjustifiable police killings.

She calls on protesters to channel their anger into something positive.

"We need a national conversation that will continue to go on," she said. "For those who are angry, you are rightly angry, but do something positive."

2:15 p.m. Former Gov. David Paterson speaks

Former New York Gov. David Paterson spoke immediately after Sharpton. He recited a list of people who have died at the hands of police and called for justice in their names.

"We will not stop until somebody goes to jail!" he said.

2:10 p.m. Sharpton asks protestors to remain civil

Sharpton returns to podium and calls on protestors to remain civil for the sake of the Garner family.

"Do not undermine the family's fight for justice," he said. "They want you to act up so they can act like Eric was acting up. You ain't no more angry than the family. If they can operate with dignity, you can operate with dignity.

"Don't come and piss in my party," he added. "And anybody that acts up we're going to expose if you're working against the forces of justice."

Sharpton said that 25 years ago, he marched after the death of Yusef Hawkins, a black teen who was attacked by a crowd of white youths in Bensonhurt, Brooklyn in 1989.

"When we got to Bensonhurst to ask them to give up what they knew, they threw watermelons at us. They threw bananas and called us monkeys. They used the n-word. I was even stabbed.... I still look at the wound on my chest," he said. "But 25 years later, we march in Staten Island. No watermelons, no bananas. We've come a long way."

2:02 p.m. Union presidents speak

United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew, who angered public school teachers by sponsoring and promoting Saturday's march, just finished speaking to protesters.

In the days leading up to the march, Mulgrew stood behind the union's participation in it, despite calls for his resignation from angry teachers who did not support the march and rally.

"It is time to teach," he said Saturday. "It is time to show the entire country that New York City can solve tough issues by dealing with tough issues."

The president of 1199 SEIU, a healthcare workers union that also sponsored the march, is speaking now.

"We know we are not anti-police," 1199 president George Gresham said. "We know that fighting crime is not easy. That's why we're here today, to fight a crime.

"We cannot be Dr. King's favorite union and not be here," he added.

1:50 p.m. Sharpton, Garner's widow speak

Rev. Al Sharpton and the family of Eric Garner stand on stage at Saturday's rally. (Staten Island Advance/Bill Lyons)

Rev. Al Sharpton has reached the podium. He leads a chant of "No justice, no peace," and begins by introducing Garner's widow, Esaw, and the rest of the Garner clan.

"We are here for them," he says. "They will not cry alone."

He continues:

"We are here by the thousands. We are not here to tear down. We are not here to cause violence. We are here because violence was caused. A chokehold is violence."

Esaw Garner, Eric Garner's widow, says she wants justice.

"It's not white or black," she says. "They did wrong and now they have to pay for doing wrong."

Garner's sister extends her condolences to the family of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager who was shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Mo. earlier this month.

1:40 p.m. NAACP board member, state senator speak

NAACP board member Hazel Dukes and New York State Sen. Jose Serrano take the stage to speak.

New York State Sen. Jose Serrano speaks at Saturday's "We Will Not Go Back" march and rally. (Staten Island Advance/John Annese)

In response to those who have called Saturday's march an "anti-police" event, Ms. Dukes says the protest is not "anti-anybody."

"This is about equality and justice," she says. "A chokehold is unlawful and so a crime is committed. We want to punish those who commit crimes."

Serrano follows Ms. Dukes, saying, "We need police protection. We don't need police aggression. There's a big big big difference."

1:30 p.m. Rally with speakers begins

National Action Network Staten Island chapter president Cynthia Davis has introduced the first speaker, Pastor Victor Davis.

"We will not go away until indictments give way to convictions and convictions give way to incarceration," Brown said. "Call us what you will. Call us agitators, but we will not go away."

Next up is National Action Network's Queens chapter president.

1:19 p.m. March arrives at precinct

Buses carrying protesters from Bay Ridge have arrived at the scene of Eric Garner's death in Tompkinsville.

The hundreds of passengers, who pulled in shortly after 10:30 a.m., have easily doubled the size of the rally.

Many are from Staten Island, but a significant portion have come from around the tri-state area.

10:45 a.m. Scene near Tompkinsville Park

Protesters gather near Tompkinsville Park in preparation for Saturday's "We Will Not Go Back" march. (Staten Island Advance/Tracey Porpora)

Some 2,000 chanting protesters are lined up down Victory Boulevard at the intersection of St. Marks Place, above Tompkinsville Park.

Protest signs contain messages like, "Am I Next?," "Am I Eric Garner?" and "We are all Michael Brown."

Ralliers are chanting "I can't breathe!" — Eric Garner's last words — and "Hands up, don't shoot!" which protesters in Ferguson, Mo. have used since 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by an officer there earlier this month.

10:12 a.m. Bus ride from Bay Ridge to Tompkinsville

Before departing for Staten Island, Eric Garner's sister, Ellisha Garner, spoke to the bus' passengers, thanking them for taking part in Saturday's rally.

The ride itself from Bay Ridge to Tompkinsville, the site of Garner's death, was somber and reflective.

There were no chants, no signs and no call outs.

"We don't have to be loud to be strong," said Lyndell Jones, of the Bronx, who took a bus, train and cab to catch the bus in Brooklyn.

She said she came out Saturday to support the family and stand for justice.

10:05 a.m. Staten Island Ferry, Whitehall Terminal

Ferry security remains status quo, but there's a strong NYPD presence at the ferry terminal in Manhattan in preparation for Saturday's "We Will Not Go Back" march on Staten Island.

Ferries in use Saturday can hold 4,400 and no problems are expected, per a source at the scene.

March and rally participants pile on to the ferry chanting "Hands up, don't shoot!" the cry used by protesters in Ferguson, Mo. to show solidarity with Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager killed by a Ferguson police officer earlier this month.

9:58 a.m. Scene at 120 Precinct

All's quiet in front of the police precinct, where it's mostly press and community affairs officers. A few of the officers spotted had Midtown North lapels, meaning they've been brought in from outside the borough to police Saturday's rally.

The bulk of the NYPD's presence appears to be stationed along Edgewater Drive and Front Street between Clifton and Stapleton, about a mile and a half away from the rally stage.

9:45 a.m. Rev. Al Sharpton's pre-march broadcast

Sharpton arrived at a packed Mt. Sinai United Christian Church with the family of Eric Garner to chants of "No Justice, No Peace." He pledged a peaceful protest and spoke about Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old African American boy who was shot to death by white youths on August 23, 1989 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

"Twenty-five years of making issues happen. We have found the same things about police accountability," he said. "It's wrong to say we haven't made progress, but it's wrong to say we have finished the task."

The mother of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed 22-year-old immigrant who was shot and killed by police in 1999, also spoke at the service.

Other speakers included Victoria Pannell, Dr. March Bright and Dr. Victor Brown.

Pannell, a 15-year-old National Action Network Youth Leader compared Garner's death to that of Jimmie Lee Jackson. Jackson was a 26-year-old deacon and civil rights protestor who was shot and killed by an Alabama State Trooper in 1965. His death inspired the Selma to Montgomery marches, which are credited for leading to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

Speaking after Ms. Pannell, Dr. Brown said Saturday's protest was not a racial issue.

9:25 a.m Protesters board buses to Staten Island

Buses, vans and SUVs met with members of Eric Garner's family at Fort Hamilton Parkway and 92nd street in Bay Ridge shortly after 8 a.m. to meet up with marchers in Staten Island.

"I'm just overwhelmed. I'm so lost for words that we can get so many people together so that we can make sure that this never happens again," Eric Garner's sister, Ellisha Garner said.

Ralliers, including Rev. Herbert Daughtry, who arrived in Bay Ridge with a coach bus carrying 57 protesters, say they are looking for more accountability in the criminal justice system and better police training going forward.

Eric Garner's family prepares to board a bus in Brooklyn to head over to the march and rally being held in his honor. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

9:15 a.m. at Fort Hamilton and 100th Street in Brooklyn

Eric Garner's sister and his nieces and cousins are out in force Saturday. They've boarded the second bus bound for Staten Island.

They ask that Saturday's rally remains peaceful.

Among other protesters preparing to board buses to Staten Island, Patricia Odubi from Crown Heights, Brooklyn And Mojubaolu Okome from Midwood, Brooklyn, say they are protesting for better training of police officers and overall police accountability.

8:43 a.m. at Mt. Sinai United Christian Church

Former Gov. David Paterson arrives at Mt Sinai United Christian Church and is swarmed by media. (Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)

Former Gov. David Paterson has arrived at the church and is being swarmed by media.

Paterson is expected to speak during Sharpton's pre-march broadcast from Mt. Sinai United Christian Church on Pike Street at 9 a.m. that will air on WLIB 1190 AM.

The former governor will join Rev. Al Sharpton and the Garner family at the head of Saturday's "We Will Not Go Back" march.

7 a.m. at Tompkinsville Park:

At 7 a.m. on Saturday the scene at Tompkins Park was somber. While police barricades had already been erected along Bay Street, it looked like a regular Saturday morning in the park. (Advance phot/Hilton Flores)

The scene is like any other Saturday morning in the park, except for the police barricades set up along Bay Street and an array of news vans and media staked out near the park waiting for the march to begin.

Down the road at Mt. Sinai United Christian Church, where Rev. Al Sharpton is expected to broadcast his weekly radio show, more news vans are awaiting his arrival.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — After weeks of speculation, criticism and controversy, Rev. Al Sharpton's "We Will Not Go Back," march and rally for justice for Eric Garner and others who have died at the hands of police has finally arrived.

Saturday's event, which is expected to draw crowds in the thousands and affect traffic on the North Shore, runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Protesters will gather at 11 a.m. at Victory Boulevard and Bay Street, the scene of Garner's death, and march to District Attorney Daniel Donovan's office on Stuyvesant Place, before processing to Richmond Terrace and Hamilton Avenue, where a stage will be set up for speakers.

Neither Mayor Bill de Blasio nor Public Advocate Letitia James will attend Saturday's march, but City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and former Gov. David Paterson are expected to attend.

-On-scene reporters Vincent Barone, Tracey Porpora, Anna Sanders, John Annese and Mira Wassef fed live updates to Saturday's live blog