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LOCAL News :: Protest Activity

NYC Update: March for Women's Lives + More

Yesterday about 25,000 people marched in New York City to protect women's health and lives from the Republicans.
The March for Women's Lives began with speeches in Candon Park as organizers handed out free water and Luna Bars to the crowd.

The marchers took over 3 hours to cross the Brooklyn Bridge.

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Also in New York yesterday, hundreds gathered at 5:30 at the World Trade Center amidst the tolls of bells that symbolize solidarity and unity against the Republican National Convention. Participants- facing four directions- encircled the site and rang at least 2,749 bells for 9/11’s victims.

According to the organizers: "We will ring with respect the site as an incentive for justice and diplomacy rather than for war and the suppression of civil and human rights. Bells traditionally open and close ceremonies. Our bells will ring in a week of harmony of many voices expressing their visions of peace and justice in NYC and around the country."

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In addition, about 400 people joined a march to the regional Starbucks headquarters to demand labor rights for Starbucks workers. Since May, workers at a Starbucks cafe in New York City have been publicly organizing for union representation through the Industrial Workers of the World, a radical labor union. Daniel Gross and another IWW organizer were arrested.

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Yesterday also brought heavy police presence to the Times Up! space. Times Up! is the group that organizes the Critical Mass bike rides in New York. The riders staged a 10,000 person bike protest on Friday at which over 250 people were arrested.

There was also a Green Party Festival in New York yesterday. Over 200 people were there and the festival featured music and speakers. There was also a 20 ft. inflated puppet, Bushocchio.

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And now I will editorialize for a moment.

Planned Parenthood played a major roll in organizing The March for Women's Lives. At a similar march in Washington, DC earlier this year, the organization passed out hundreds of thousands of bags with T-shirts and other promotional items in them. At the march yesterday, thousands of signs were passed out.

I have escorted friends to abortions at Planned Parenthood before. When you go to the clinic, even at that that difficult and stressful time, the person registering you asks for a donation - above and beyond the $400 + you have already paid.

Why is Planned Parenthood using its funds to buy people T-shirts and posters? I believe a crowd looks more authentic and interesting if everyone is encouraged to bring their own sign and even, *gasp* pick out their own outfit.

The money would be much better spent in giving people with lower incomes free treatment, in expanding outreach, in more counseling for domestic violence - in short, the money should have been spent on the needs of women, not on promoting Planned Parenthood.

One could argue that PP would get even more donations when thousands of people see their name on signs and T-shirts. But that's not what these marches are supposed to be about. The marches are an opportunity for women to make their voices heard, not a chance for another non-profit to kick fundraising into a higher gear.
 
 

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