News / Politics

Sanders supporters rally ahead of Democratic convention

Monday, 25 July 2016 12:47 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 25 July 2016 1:00 PM ]

Supporters of US Senator Bernie Sanders carry an effigy with his image as they take part in a protest march ahead of the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 24, 2016. (Reuters)

Thousands of supporters of US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders have kicked off a week of planned protests as the Democratic National Convention gets underway in Philadelphia.

Braving the blistering summer heat, throngs of demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday to protest an electoral process many of them said was “rigged.”

“I felt he worked so hard for the 99 percent, I could do my little bit and come to the convention to [get out] two messages, to still support him and also protest the Democratic National Committee,” Paula Iaesella, who carried a “Still Bernie” sign, told the Huffington Post.

Sanders formally endorsed Hillary Clinton earlier this month, but he has not yet suspended his campaign.

However, many of his supporters at Sunday’s rally said they would not vote for Clinton.

They chanted, “Hell no, DNC, we won’t vote for Hillary,” and, “This is what democracy looks like.”

Larger protests have been planned for Monday, the first day of the Democratic convention.

Hundreds of environmentalists and Sanders supporters march through downtown before the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on July 24, 2016. (AFP photo)

A pro-Sanders group is expected to march across the Ben Franklin Bridge, which connects Camden, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

The Democratic convention got off to a rocky start last week with controversy over the release of thousands of party emails by WikiLeaks which showed Democratic staffers favored Clinton over Senator Sanders despite being officially neutral.

The controversy led to the DNC chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, announcing that she would resign when the convention was over.

A protester carries a sign calling for the firing of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz as head of the DNC. (Huffington Post)

An estimated 50,000 people, including some 5,000 delegates, are expected to attend the four-day convention, which will culminate with Clinton being named as the party’s nominee for president.

The Republican convention was also dogged by a plagiarism scandal that surfaced following a speech at the event by Republican nominee Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump.

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