Peaceful demonstration in thousands in Toronto against Dakota Access Pipeline

The march started in front of the Ontario legislature at Queen's Park with a stop at the U.S. consulate on University Avenue and ended at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto city hall.

At least 4,000 people joined the march, one organizer said.

Attendees said they wanted to show their support to the protesters in Standing Rock, North Dakota.

"We want to show the people at Standing Rock that there are thousands of North Americans that want to stand with them, that want to show our support," said demonstrator Nicolas Haddad, according to CBCNews.

Many people, according to media reports, described the Toronto rally as part of a global campaign.

The intention of the demonstration was also meant to get the attention of Canadian political leaders, Cheri DiNovo, MPP for Parkdale-High Park, told CBCNews.

"The simple reality is that we're here to support [the Dakota Sioux], but also to send a very strong message to our own governments, both provincial and federal, that this is treaty land, that you have to deal with First Nations, and that we need to keep the oil in the soil," said Dinovo.

The main aim of the Dakota Access Pipeline project, according to media reports, was to carry oil across four U.S. states, from North Dakota's Bakken oil formation to pipelines in Illinois for almost 1,900 km and then reach the refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Protesters near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota, wanted the pipeline to be rerouted as the pipeline and construction process posed risk to local water supplies and sacred sites.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)