Coming Soon: Massive Acts of Civil Disobedience

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Coming Soon: Massive Acts of Civil Disobedience

March 31st, 2016

Awake Goy

Pro-democracy activists plan sit-ins and other non-violent behaviors in the nation’s capital.

A series of massive, nonviolent civil disobedience activities are being planned for April, 2016. Protesters plan to march across the East Coast from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to Washington, DC to express their disapproval of the role of moneyed elite in elections and in government.

The activity is being called Democracy Spring with the term “spring” referring to both the season of nature’s rebirth and to the physical act of leaping forward.

Ten days, April 2-11, are designated for the 140 mile Liberty-Bell-to-Capitol-Hill march. Once marchers reach the nation’s capital, plans include sit-ins under the Capitol rotunda, inside the offices of representatives, and on the building’s front steps and grounds. Other planned mass actions are call-in days, webcasts, Twitter storms, online petitions, local solidarity demonstrations in front of the district offices of lawmakers, and other activities designed to express the message that U.S. democracy is broken and the people want it fixed. The protestors plan to sit-in for six days or longer. Over 2,000 people have pledged to risk arrest during the protest.

The protesters are demanding that Congress take immediate action to end the corruption of big money in politics and voter disenfranchisement. Specifically, they demand that Congress support voting rights protections, anti-corruption measures, citizen-funded elections, and a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

Some organizations that back Democracy Spring are American Postal Workers Union, Ben and Jerry’s, Greenpeace, Common Cause, The Hightower Lowdown, NAACP, National Council of Jewish Women, and the American Association of University Women.