Hundreds marched through the streets of D.C. Monday night, led by organizers calling for 1,000 marches in cities across the U.S. in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 election.
The march took place after a meeting at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church that was part political rally and worship service.
Related stories
“Now until November, organize everybody you know, email everybody you know, tell them to show up because if we ever needed to vote, we sure do need to vote right now,” Protestant minister and activist William J. Barber II told the crowd.
Earlier on Monday, members of Repairers of the Breach, including Barber, were arrested following a demonstration inside the Hart Senate office building. They were attempting to meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune to voice their opposition to the SAVE Act.
The group made up of clergy, civic groups and others want to take back civil rights they say have been lost, healthcare that’s been peeled back and education opportunities that have been stripped under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“We’re no longer begging, we’re demanding. We’re not going to walk around with our tail between our legs and ask anybody to give us anything, we’re going to change it at the ballot,” Bishop Brian Thompson of the AME Zion Church said at the church meeting.
The Reverend Moya Harris, senior director of Programs at Sojourners, called a person’s vote the person’s moral testimony.
“There are senators who are hell-bent on pushing through the so-called SAVE Act, legislation that would strip millions of people of their ballots, cast doubts on their citizenship and weaponize fear to take away votes that have already been earned and protected,” she said.
