Activist supporters of Bernie Sanders are planning to “crash” the Democratic National Convention next month. The group is demanding that the party establishment reform its nominating process and take steps to eliminate corporate influence.
The organizers, who are mostly independent, left the “People’s Summit” this weekend in Chicago primed and ready to put pressure on the Democratic elite. Nina Turner, Ohio Senator, a top Sanders campaign supporter, issued a call to action after telling the press she expects “hundreds of thousands of people” at the convention in Philadelphia.
“We can no longer stand by and have business as usual,” she said.
Democracy Spring launched a “direct action” on U.S. Capitol steps back in April. Over 1,400 people were arrested, but the efforts paid off: nearly 100 Congressman called for hearings, voting rights measures and campaign finance reform.
The group is just one of dozens that are planning demonstrations for July’s convention in Philadelphia.
The “People’s Summit,” which was held over the weekend, was meant as a training session for the upcoming demonstration. The session included mock arrests, lectures, exercises and role playing designed to help protesters prepare for potential confrontations with law enforcement.
Leaders of the workshop view the convention as the next step in Bernie Sanders’ movement.
The group focuses on taking “nonviolent direct action,” and the People’s Summit event was designed to minimize conflict and prevent the demonstration from descending into counterproductive chaos.
