SEATTLE -- Nearly 1,000 people protested in what has become an annual protest on Black Friday in downtown Seattle, CBS affiliate KIRO reports.

Black Lives Matter demonstrators gathered at Westlake Center to disrupt holiday shopping. They marched from downtown to South Lake Union, where the protest ended.

The protest happened during the annual tree lighting ceremony, which is smaller this year, but organizers say the reason for the small ceremony is not because of the now-annual protests.

The protesters on Friday were not in Westlake during the tree lighting.

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In 2014, dozens of Black Lives Matters demonstrators stormed the tree lighting and Westlake Mall.

Black Lives Matter demonstrators say they want people to remember the racial injustice throughout the year.

A Facebook page for the event said, “#BlackLivesMatter, Not Black Friday,” and” No school, no work, no shopping, no excuses. Just hit the streets.”

Seattle police were in the area to keep the protests peaceful.