Gainesville Protesters Encourage Early Voting at No Kings 4
Yesterday morning, several local activist groups marched from CADE Museum to Cora Roberson Park for the fourth iteration of No Kings protests. The march started at 9:30 and the rally went on from 10:00 till noon.
The protest co-aligned with nationwide action consisting of roughly 3,000 protests.
The demonstration was centered around voting and encouraging attendees to vote early. Several organizations were represented, including but not limited to:
- 50501 Gainesville
- Alachua County Democrats
- University of Florida (UF) College Democrats
- North Central Florida Indivisible
- Alachua County Labor Union (ACLU)
- Party for Socialism and Liberation
- Alachua County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- Alachua County Democratic Socialists of America
- League of Women Voters
- Jewish Voices for Peace
- Badass Feminists Gainesville
Two Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers were stationed near the far end of the protest. Police Chief Nelson Moya recently signed a general order into department policy that requires officers to report suspected undocumented immigrants.
Several speakers and organizers gave speeches to protesters, but Seth Harp was the only political candidate who took the mic. Harp is the Democratic nominee for the United States House of Representatives District 3 (which includes Gainesville). “With your help, in 17 days we’re clearing out the litter box and the cat is gonna be moving,” he said referring to his incumbent opponent Kat Cammack. Harp said the past 18 months of campaigning has been the honor of his life.
Harp went on to say that when running for office or after being elected, the candidate belongs to the people.
In a gag by No Kings protesters, an individual wearing a large Trump costume interjected on the host multiple times, only to be pulled away by a man with a large cane.
An individual wearing a large Trump costume gets pulled away by a man with a large cane (GnvInfo)
David Arreola, 50501 Gainesville founder, a former Gainesville city commissioner and ACLU representative, encouraged attendees to vote early. He said that the upcoming election is the “best and maybe last chance to stop the president in his tracks and to finally hold his secretaries accountable for the war crimes and for the infringements on the constitution.”
“We have heard a lot of intimidation tactics to suppress the vote,” Arreola said. “To lie to voters… to scare voters… It is illegal, still, for federal agents and armed law enforcement; really anybody armed to show up to a voting location… If you see it you need to report it. That is still against the law.”
Arreola added that if voters show up on Election Day and are told they can't vote they have the right to demand a provisional ballot.
Dr. Rik Stevenson, an African American studies professor at UF, told protesters, “If voting was not important, they would not attempt to keep us from voting. So don't allow your friends to convince you that voting is not important. So I say to you, I can't tell you how to vote. I can't tell you who to vote for. I'll just let your grocery bill tell you who to vote for. I'll let your fuel bill tell you who to vote for. I'll let your health care tell you who to vote for. I'll let your SNAP benefits tell you who to vote for. I'll let your immigrant neighbors tell you who to vote for. There are homes in this country right now [that] are not being built because immigrants can't come out in public. Let them tell you who to vote for.”
Multiple speakers encouraged protesters to attend or watch the rally with Angie Nixon and Bernie Sanders that occurred at the University of Florida earlier today. The event was live streamed on YouTube.
