Last week, the Democratic Party held their national convention at which candidate Hillary Clinton formally accepted the party’s nomination for president. Under the leadership of the convention’s chief executive officer, the Rev. Leah Daughtry, the Democrats rolled out their core message of “Stronger Together,” a theme that advances a message of party unity through diversity. However, protesters and activists wanted to send their own message to the Democratic National Convention with their daily display of political dissent and resistance. Over four days, as speeches were made on the air-conditioned stage, protestors braved the punishing heat and stifling humidity on the streets. While much of the nation’s attention was riveted on the message Bernie Sanders’ supporters wanted to send to the Democratic Party, Black protesters wanted to send their message to the DNC as well.
The Philly Coalition for R.E.A.L (Racism, Economic and Legal) Justice organized daily protests, with the largest one arguably on the second day of the convention, July 26. The Black DNC Resistance March Against Police Terrorism & State Repression took a protest route along Broad Street towards Philadelphia’s City Hall and linked up with another protest, Shut Down the DNC. The Black Resistance March started in North Philadelphia, just blocks away from Temple University, where at the very outset the salient issues were outlined for the protesters.
Meagan Malachi, march organizer, explained, “The issues that we’re looking at to highlight are the issues of police terrorism, which is a major issue in Philadelphia and in most cities in this nation. We’re specifically focused on stop and frisk. The newly elected mayor actively campaigned throughout the Black community that he was going to unequivocally end stop and frisk, but three months into his campaign, he backtracked. So we’ve been hounding him and holding him accountable ever since then. But we’re also very interested in issues around income inequality, gentrification and the underfunding of our schools, so that’s why we’re here to stand up against today.”
After march organizer Erica Mines told white protestors and press to get behind Black protestors, she engaged demonstrators with a vivid reminder by calling out the names of Black men and women who fell victim to police violence across the country: “Sandra Bland. We honor you. Who will carry her name? Deshawn Perkins. We honor you. Who will carry his name? Rodney King. We honor you. Who will carry his name?” This roll call went on for several minutes before demonstrators took to the streets, unintimidated by a heavy police presence along the route. Hundreds marched for approximately two miles along the famed Broad Street. They stopped several times to reiterate different messages as onlookers applauded, took pictures and even joined the protests. As protestors approached the downtown area they filled the streets and sidewalks, slowly bringing all traffic to a halt just as rush hour got underway.
Once at City Hall, speaker after speaker condemned American and global racism, white supremacy and police violence, while calling attention to gentrification in North Philadelphia, widespread poverty and contempt for electoral politics. Voicing no confidence in Donald Trump or Clinton, Malachi said, “No, I don’t think Hillary Clinton is a legitimate candidate, and I don’t think that she speaks to the problems or the aspirations of the underclass and working class Black community. In fact, she has proved time and time again that not only has she worked against the aspirations of Black people here but all over the world, like in Haiti and all through Latin America. No, I do not believe she is one who will stand up for our interests.”
Malachi continued, “I think that whoever you vote for, neoconservatism with Trump or neoliberalism with Hillary, they would still be against Black interests.”
The AmNews spoke with several activists about the protests being not only an expression of political views and dissent but also another opportunity to engage local communities in organizing. Pam Africa, MOVE, stated, “What we care about is organizing people so that they can understand the fight we must do. Our job is to be out here and organize by any means necessary, to stand up and fight for our rights. We have to educate our children to what is going on.”
Africa continued, “You have to organize inside the churches, the schools, on the blocks.” Afterwards, the march continued to the DNC at the Wells Fargo Center for even more protests. Malachi added, “I don’t think there is [anything] more significant than advocating on behalf of Black people on the local level.”