Disrupting Speeches, Protesters Challenge Sanders and O'Malley: Say 'Black Lives Matter!'

by **Admin** Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:52 am

Raising the profile of Black women killed by police violence, demonstration forces candidates to address racial injustice

Demanding that pervasive racial injustice and police brutality against people of color be addressed on the campaign trail, protesters with the Black Lives Matter movement interrupted speeches by Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley Saturday evening.
Cutting off O'Malley's prepared remarks during the annual Netroots Nation convention in Phoenix, Arizona, activist Patrisse Cullors described the urgency driving the protest. "Let me be clear—every single day people are dying, not able to take another breath," she said. "We are in a state of emergency. If you do not feel that emergency, then you are not human. I want to hear concrete action plans."
Protesters said they were galvanized by this week's one year anniversary of the police killing of Eric Garner and the suspicious and tragic death of Sandra Bland. During the event, they chanted and challenged the candidates to "Say her name," referring to Bland and other women killed while in police custody, and to "Say that black lives matter."
The action made it clear that the minority vote should not be taken for granted by candidates on the left.