Demonstrators planning to take part in Charlotte's largest protest in recent memory are expected to begin arriving Friday.

The Coalition to March on Wall Street South, the group organizing Sunday's protest through uptown, said Wednesday "several thousand" protesters would attend the afternoon rally.

"Sunday will be an important day in history," the Coalition's Yen Alcala said at a news conference at Marshall Park.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police chief Rodney Monroe told a forum last week as many as 8,000 protesters would demonstrate.

Protesters will march along a three-mile route, beginning at Frazier Park at 1 p.m. Sunday. The march will pass the Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Duke Energy buildings in uptown. Demonstrations against those corporations will be held outside their offices.

"We are fighting for a society where we put people before profit," said organizer Michael Zytkow.