Hundreds of activists arrested in DC during “Moral Monday”

Yesterday, a “Moral Monday” event took place in Washington D.C. resulting in hundreds of people getting arrested. Amongst those arrested were activists from the Poor People’s Campaign and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

This “National Moral Monday” is part of the Season of Nonviolent Moral Direct Action that the Poor People’s Campaign launched in July, writes Al Día. 

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?#PoorPeoplesCampaign#EndTheFilibusterNow, Pass the #ForThePeopleAct, Restore the #VotingRightsAct, #FightFor15 & raise the fed minimum wage!

Sign & send our Open Letter to Members of the US Senate & the White House: https://t.co/4FJfoYIFRi pic.twitter.com/CmEuV9yYwD

— Poor People’s Campaign (@UniteThePoor) August 2, 2021

Many people joined together; from clergy members to low-wage workers across the country calling out Congress. 

Those participating had five main demands according to Common Dreams: 

1. Restoration of the full Voting Rights Act;
2. Passage of the For the People’s Act;
3. An end to the filibuster;
4. An increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour; and
5. Fair and respectful treatment of the nation’s 11 million immigrants.

These demands are requested to be met by August 6, which is the 56th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act as well as the day Senate has a panned recess. 

“We are witnessing a political insurrection to achieve what domestic terrorists failed to do on January 6. We are demanding an end to the filibuster to protect democracy and enactment of policies that the vast majority of Americans support,” says Poor People’s Campaign co-chair Rev. Dr. William Barber and fellow co-chair Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis.