Protesters march in the street ahead of the Democratic national convention in Philadelphia. (photo: Bryan Woolston/Reuters)
Democratic
Convention Draws Thousands of Protesters to Philadelphia
By Associated Press
25 July 16
Intense heat no barrier to demonstrations as clean energy
activists and Bernie Sanders supporters jam route from city hall to Liberty
Bell
Thousands
of demonstrators took to the sweltering streets of Philadelphia on Sunday,
chanting and beating drums in the first major protests ahead of the Democratic
national convention.
Throngs
of clean energy activists jammed a major thoroughfare in a mile-long march from
city hall to Independence Mall, near the Liberty Bell. They held anti-fracking
and anti-pipeline signs, some with illustrations such as a train surrounded by
a fireball and the words “No Exploding Trains”. Others held “Bernie or Bust”
signs.
Sam
Miller, 82, had traveled from Erie, Pennsylvania, to join the march that
stretched several blocks and across a wide street as temperatures in the city
soared into the mid-90s. He said he was inspired because “fracking is invading
Mother Earth”.
As in
Cleveland around the Republican convention this week, police were using
bicycles as barricades and volunteers were handing out water to marchers.
Shoppers came out of stores to watch the march.
Chants
of “Bernie! Bernie!” were met by counter echoes of “Hillary! Hillary!”
Bernie
Sanders supporters expect about 3,000 protesters to join them in a march from
City Hall to a park near the convention site in the afternoon.
The
heat wave that descended on the city was showing no mercy, with the city under
an “excessive heat” warning from the National Weather Service. It was expected
to peak on Monday, the convention’s first day, with temperatures possibly
hitting 100F (38C).
Crowds
braving the weather could take advantage of “misting tents” and free water,
compliments of the city. Mayor Jim Kenney warned people to limit time outdoors
and said demonstrations would be put on hold in the event of thunderstorms.
The
first march on Sunday encountered a perennial Philadelphia problem: parking. DC
to DNC organizer Ed Higgins said finding parking spots and organizing the crowd
delayed his group’s march, which got going about an hour late.
The
group of about a dozen marchers walked on sidewalks from near the convention
site up toward the Liberty Bell. One played This Land is Your Land on bagpipes
as the group weaved around people eating brunch at sidewalk cafes and others
walking dogs.
Protests
and demonstrations are planned throughout the city during the convention, some
of the largest starting about four miles north of the arena.
In
Cleveland, most protests were concentrated in a tight, 1.7-square mile zone
downtown. A heavy police presence and fewer than expected protesters helped
keep the calm. There were only about two dozen arrests and no significant
injuries.
Philadelphia’s
protests come as Sanders called for the head of the DNC, Debbie Wasserman
Schultz, to step down after leaked emails suggested the party
favored Clinton during the presidential primary.
Emails
posted to the website Wikileaks show that at least some DNC officials were
looking at ways to undercut Sanders’ campaign, including questioning his
religious beliefs. Sanders told ABC’s This Week that Wasserman Schultz should
resign immediately.
More
than 5,000 delegates are among the 50,000 people set to attend the gathering at
the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, which is expected to culminate
with Clinton being named the party’s official nominee for president.
The
former secretary of state and first lady has named Senator Tim Kaine of
Virginia as her running mate.
C 2015 Reader Supported News
Donations can be sent
to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD
21218. Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
"The master class
has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles.
The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject
class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their
lives." Eugene Victor Debs
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