Protesters told not to walk on bridge — so they drove instead
Modal Trigger
Protesters try to march across the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge but are blocked by police.Richard Harbus
Over 100 women were stopped in their tracks Saturday, when state cops forbid them from marching across the Mario Cuomo Bridge — so they drove over it instead.
Participants in the “Black Women’s March” — intended to highlight racism faced by black women in rural areas and suburbs — had to improvise when police determined that walking across from Tarrytown to Westchester was simply not safe.
“The Mario M. Cuomo Bridge carries an interstate highway with heavy traffic volumes traveling at high speeds, and also remains an active construction zone,” state cops said in a statement, LoHud reported. “This type of event presents significant safety issues for the marchers, drivers, and members of law enforcement.”
Police gave an arrest warning countdown, but no one was taken into custody, officials said.
Participants were furious.
“We couldn’t even cross that damn bridge!” organizer Vanessa Green shouted to a crowd at Nyack Memorial Park. “Gov. Cuomo should have walked with us! He should have walked with us.”
“I’m pissed,” said another participant, Valerie Mondesir, 30. “Pissed doesn’t even cover it. I’m disgusted that they wouldn’t let us on that bridge. There was no reason not to let us march.
When I think of all the things they close this bridge for, why is marching against racism not one of those things?”
The protesters eventually hopped in their cars, and drove at a snail’s pace — 5 mph— over the span.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment