Democrats lose control of presidential event
Phoenix (CNN)A town hall for liberal activists featuring two Democratic presidential candidates was interrupted by dozens of demonstrators on Saturday who shouted down the contenders and demanded they address criminal justice issues and police brutality.
O'Malley was answering questions from Vargas on stage when dozens of boisterous conference attendees flooded through a side door and shouted down the White House contender.
Tia Oso of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, who represented the demonstrators, climbed onto the stage, secured a microphone, and delivered a speech while O'Malley looked on.
"We are going to hold this space. We are going to acknowledge the names of black women who have died in police custody. And Governor O'Malley, we do have questions for you ... As the leader of this nation, will you advance a racial justice agenda that will dismantle -- not reform, not make progress -- but will begin to dismantle structural racism in the United States?"
"Yes," O'Malley replied, but before he could say more, the demonstrators in front of the stage shouted over him by reciting names of black women who have died in police custody. While they shouted, O'Malley stood in silence. At one point he turned to Oso on stage: "My people came here as immigrants from Ireland."
Below, dozens shouted several chants in unison.
"Black lives matter! Black lives matter!" they shouted toward O'Malley, and began a call-and-repeat rallying cry that activists have been using in the wake of the death of 28-year-old Sandra Bland, who died in police custody last week. "If I die in police in custody!" one of the chants went, "Burn everything down! That's the only way mother******* like you listen!"
Conference organizers begged them to allow O'Malley to respond.
The demonstrators started shouting and booing again when O'Malley said: "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter."
O'Malley later apologized for the remarks, telling This Week in Blackness, a digital news site, that he "meant no disrespect" to the black community.
"That was a mistake on my part and I meant no disrespect," O'Malley told the outlet. "I did not understand the tremendous passion, commitment and feeling and depth of feeling that all of us should be attaching to this issue."
And when he stepped off stage, he chanted, "Black lives matter! Black lives matter!"
Imagine that, a Presidential Candidate having to apologize for saying: "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter."
Now, Thats Entertainment...
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/bernie-sanders-netroots-nation-black-lives-matter/
Phoenix (CNN)A town hall for liberal activists featuring two Democratic presidential candidates was interrupted by dozens of demonstrators on Saturday who shouted down the contenders and demanded they address criminal justice issues and police brutality.
O'Malley was answering questions from Vargas on stage when dozens of boisterous conference attendees flooded through a side door and shouted down the White House contender.
Tia Oso of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, who represented the demonstrators, climbed onto the stage, secured a microphone, and delivered a speech while O'Malley looked on.
"We are going to hold this space. We are going to acknowledge the names of black women who have died in police custody. And Governor O'Malley, we do have questions for you ... As the leader of this nation, will you advance a racial justice agenda that will dismantle -- not reform, not make progress -- but will begin to dismantle structural racism in the United States?"
"Yes," O'Malley replied, but before he could say more, the demonstrators in front of the stage shouted over him by reciting names of black women who have died in police custody. While they shouted, O'Malley stood in silence. At one point he turned to Oso on stage: "My people came here as immigrants from Ireland."
Below, dozens shouted several chants in unison.
"Black lives matter! Black lives matter!" they shouted toward O'Malley, and began a call-and-repeat rallying cry that activists have been using in the wake of the death of 28-year-old Sandra Bland, who died in police custody last week. "If I die in police in custody!" one of the chants went, "Burn everything down! That's the only way mother******* like you listen!"
Conference organizers begged them to allow O'Malley to respond.
The demonstrators started shouting and booing again when O'Malley said: "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter."
O'Malley later apologized for the remarks, telling This Week in Blackness, a digital news site, that he "meant no disrespect" to the black community.
"That was a mistake on my part and I meant no disrespect," O'Malley told the outlet. "I did not understand the tremendous passion, commitment and feeling and depth of feeling that all of us should be attaching to this issue."
And when he stepped off stage, he chanted, "Black lives matter! Black lives matter!"
Imagine that, a Presidential Candidate having to apologize for saying: "Black lives matter. White lives matter. All lives matter."
Now, Thats Entertainment...
http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/bernie-sanders-netroots-nation-black-lives-matter/
