Actors, delegates protest on quiet Day 3 of Dem convention
PHILADELPHIA >> Actors and delegates took center stage in smaller and more subdued protests by Bernie Sanders supporters on a mostly quiet Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention.
Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, Shailene Woodley and Rosario Dawson joined forces as night fell to protest what they consider slights against loyalists of Sanders, a Vermont U.S. senator who competed against Hillary Clinton in the party’s presidential primaries before endorsing her.
Sarandon said convention organizers scuttled planned remarks from prominent Sanders surrogate Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator, at the convention on Tuesday night.
“There’s been a lot of difficulty in executing the will of Bernie Sanders’ people and surrogates, and this was just a topping for the whole thing because she was ready to go. And she was very, very disappointed,” Sarandon said as the other celebrities joined her on a platform. “This has not gone by lightly, and … we are upset.”
Late Wednesday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the convention site as Vice President Joe Biden, vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama spoke inside. There were two distinct groups of protesters; one peaceful, the other anti-government. At one point a protester’s clothes caught on fire while trying to stomp out the flames on a burning flag. The protester dropped to the ground and rolled around to put the fire out. Another tense moment arose when protesters knocked over part of a security fence, but police quickly moved in and put the fence back up.
Earlier in the day, half a dozen Sanders delegates spoke to about 300 demonstrators gathered at a plaza near City Hall, about 4 miles from the convention site, for rallies and speeches.
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Erika Onsrud, an at-large delegate from Minnesota, told the people in the crowd they need to continue to fight. Amid cheers, she exhorted them: “Stay awake!”
Other delegates acknowledged that Sanders’ loss was disappointing but told the supporters they can create change without the Democratic Party and the mainstream media, contending the media contributed to a rigged election.
A few blocks away, police detained 10 protesters at Comcast’s corporate headquarters for holding a sit-in accusing the cable TV giant and NBC owner of not reporting the truth. Officers zip-tied them and briefly closed the 975-foot-tall skyscraper to all but Comcast employees. The demonstrators were ticketed and released.
Another group of about a dozen anti-Israel demonstrators protested at a hotel where a number of delegations to the four-day convention were staying. They called for a free Palestine.
The absence of marches was a marked change from earlier in the week, with some Sanders supporters saying their comrades seemed fatigued and frustrated.
Thousands of activists have taken to the streets during the convention to voice support for Sanders and his liberal agenda. On Tuesday night, the Bernie or Bust brigades watched in dismay as Clinton became the first woman nominated for president by a major U.S. political party.
Demonstrator Shannon Morgan, who’s from suburban New York, said she’s fatigued by political frustration, long days and hot pavement that burned through the soles of her Vans and scorched the bottoms of her feet.
She described herself as an anarchist socialist and said she can’t understand why Sanders supporters are still singing and cheering.
“I don’t believe in burning things down,” she said, but she added it’s frustrating “to see them still happy and not storm the convention center and sit in.”
The longstanding bitterness between Sanders’ supporters and Clinton’s seemed to grow worse over the past few days after a trove of hacked emails showed that officials at the Democratic National Committee played favorites during the primaries and sought to undermine Sanders’ campaign.
Sanders on Monday criticized Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and urged supporters to fall in line behind Clinton for the good of the country. But many were unmoved.
Thousands gathered in the streets outside the convention at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night, and some tried to scale the 8-foot walls around a restricted zone. Police and the Secret Service arrested four protesters.
As of midday Wednesday, only about 75 people were at the nearby park that has become a base for the protesters.
Jennifer Hall flew into Philadelphia from California and said her fellow Sanders supporters seemed tired. She said she came to “comfort the heartbroken, mourn with the mourners and help sustain the effort” fighting against two-party politics.
“We can all cry and keep going,” she said.
10 responses to “Actors, delegates protest on quiet Day 3 of Dem convention”
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Some Republicans have a fantasy that Sanders supporters will vote for Trump. Keep dreaming.
Mr Sanders has very committed supporters. They aren’t imbeciles.
Well, except Chelsea Lyons Kent.
Klastri, you may be right for a change. I believe some, a small number, will vote for Trump, and that some, also a small number, will vote for Hillary. I also believe that the majority of Sanders supporters will not heed the call for unity and will not vote for anyone, especially not for Hillary who they believe stole the election from Sanders with the help of the DNC. Yes, Mr Sanders has very committed supporters and they are not imbeciles which is why they will not vote for Hillary. And thank you Wikileaks for exposing the corrupt and rigged system.
Klas, Trump doesn’t want them. You are stuck with them. You can have them. Looked like they haven’t bathed for a week. That’s about par for Democrats.
Civility lost at the DNC…. the norm.
The DNC’s true colors were on display for America to see. You can see how they treat people once they get you out of their way. No matter how much lipstick you put on that donkey it will still be a donkey. Panetta was utterly disgraceful. He, the CIA Director, Crooked Hillary and Obama are the founders of ISIS. Keep them as far from Washington as you can. Please.
Most of these protesters are first time political activists too, and many of them probably are not Democrats anyway. Bernie himself is an Independent too, so not surprised that the radical left wing has clung to him even though he told them to move on already and support Hillary’s candidacy.
It seems that Bernie has caved in to the Clinton machine. Without a whimper from Sanders himself. No wonder his constituents are frustrated and bewildered. The Clinton machine has just swallowed up another minion with promises that won’t be fulfilled. TPP? Well, untrustworthy Hillary has already flip flopped so many times but rest assured, she will support TPP. If you want more of the same ole, same ole, “I had to run for cover from the sniper fire in Bosnia” fiction, then the fat lady is for you.
Why are people in the entertainment industry given such a prominent role in politics? What have they done to deserve it other than raked in money from a film or two?
Nothing. They like to hob nob with the elite establishment. Oh and maybe a favor or two? Depends how much pay for play. If ever Crooked Hilliary gets in she will be the GodMother.