'Moral Monday' movement turns 5 years old with rally

RALEIGH, NC -- An effort by North Carolina civil rights groups and citizens opposing Republican policies at the North Carolina legislature returned to where it began five years ago.

About 150 people attended a get-out-the-vote rally Monday on state government's Halifax Mall in Raleigh.

The mall has been a frequent meeting point for the demonstrators before entering the Legislative Building to perform acts of civil disobedience. Police arrested 17 protesters on April 29, 2013.

"Moral Monday" events took off in size and scope, ultimately leading to over 1,000 arrests.

The Rev. William Barber led the movement as state NAACP president. Current president the Rev. T. Anthony Spearman told Monday's participants to "take your resistance to the ballot box." All 170 legislative seats are up for election in November. Primaries are next week.