DC prepares for perhaps the biggest protests yet following death of George Floyd

WASHINGTON - The nation's capital on Saturday is expecting some of its biggest crowds yet since George Floyd's death sparked outrage across the country, and authorities aren't wasting any time preparing.

Many streets in downtown D.C. have been closed to motor traffic since 5 a.m. as police prepare for thousands of protesters gathering near the National Mall. 

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser even invited the masses to congregate near Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House on 16th Street to get Saturday's protest started. 

RELATED: DC paints 'Black Lives Matter' on road that leads to White House ahead of weekend protests

Local police tell FOX 5 that they've seen up to 5,000 protesters on any given day since the recent protests over the death of Floyd and other unarmed black people killed by police began. 

They expect Saturday's crowds could be even bigger, and unpredictable because the protests aren't being led by any single group. Various activist groups plan protests at different locations throughout the day.

Mayor Bowser says she will likely decide this morning whether to implement another curfew for Saturday night. She also expects Saturday's protests to be peaceful.

FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez was outside the Lincoln Memorial as the protests started:

FOX 5's Ama Arthur-Asmah continued to follow the protests Saturday afternoon: