Earlier today, members if Citizen Action’s Syracuse chapter protested outside Representative Ann Marie Buerkle’s re-election campaign kick-off party. The subject of the protest was Rep. Buerkle’s vote against extending unemployment insurance benefits that she cast last week.
Here is the account of the event as told by Lauren Ford, one of our organizers in Syracuse:
We arrived early for the Buerkle event with signs, old shoes to symbolize the unemployed in Syracuse, and our message of outrage that Buerkle would vote “NO” on extending unemployment insurance when 25,000+ people in Syracuse are unemployed.
Almost immediately security came out and told us we couldn’t be there. We explained that we are constituents of the Congresswoman and intended to attend the event. The flier on Buerkle’s website says nothing about having to be a supporter of Buerkle to attend the event. He left us alone after that.
We gathered together to assemble the shoes and to speak to the press and do chants such as “unemployed but not defeated, and my voice wont be deleted” and “we are the 99%” among others.
We rallied before gathering the shoes and attempting to take them inside to deliver them to the representative. We were stopped at the door by Buerkle staff and forcibly kept from entering. Eventually we managed to give Buerkle’s staff the shoes but were prevented from entering, while supporters were allowed to push past us. Some physically pushed protesters and called us “stupid.” Other Buerkle supporters chose to sneak in the back door to avoid us. We did not try to prevent anyone from entering, we just wanted to enter as well.
Eventually Buerkle’s people called the police. They arrives and assessed the situation while we chanted “the police need a raise!” We were told to leave which we, eventually, did.
Here is a slideshow of photos from the event:
And here are press clips. We’ll keep adding more clips here as we find them.
Buerkle’s campaign kickoff greeted by protesters. Central NY YNN.
Buerkle opens campaign; police called to break up protest. Post-Standard.
U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle will open 2012 campaign headquarters with protesters outside. Auburn Citizen.
Race for Congress in District 25. Central NY YNN.