WASHINGTON — Thousands of people continued to protest blocks away from the White House despite sweltering conditions Wednesday.
Temperatures in the D.C. region reached the mid-nineties Wednesday afternoon. It marked the hottest day so far in 2020.
The crowd, which has been protesting police brutality since Friday, was assisted by dozens of volunteers handing out food and cold water.
Locals Mike Feigenbaum and Lanae Fluellea provided protesters water bottles at the corner of 16th and I streets NW for more than seven hours.
"So far, we've got like 500 water bottle out," Feigenbaum said as of 5 pm. "We've got 600 more."
Fluellea said she came out to support her friends who could not be at the protest themselves.
"People are coming out," she said. "People aren't standing for this."
Lacey Simmons also passed out water at the same intersection with her family and friends.
She said she was not surprised by the massive turnout in the heat.
"I have a little black boy for a son, he's seven," she said. "So, it's important for me to teach him to come down and support the people who are fighting for change for his future, even in 94-degree heat."
According to the office of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, three people were treated for heat-related illnesses Wednesday. The mayor's office said two of those people were protesters while another was a Capitol Police officer.