Protests of all shapes, sizes flood Charlotte as convention nears

CHARLOTTE — Two days before the Democratic National Convention begins in Charlotte, people from across the country arrived to voice their discontent with both President Barack Obama and his opponent Mitt Romney.

The March to Wall Street South made its way across the city Sunday, with protesters chanting, dancing and beating on drums.

UNC senior Bill Pappas, an anthropology major from Charlotte, said he wasn’t there to protest a specific issue.

“We’re all yelling together for different things,” he said. “I’m here to represent the people. This is what democracy looks like. This is civil disobedience. More people should be marching in the streets because we can be heard.”

Protesters carried signs advocating immigration reform, women’s reproductive rights, an end to capitalism, and environmental initiatives. They chanted phrases like, “I’m fired up, and I won’t take this anymore!”

“I’m here to prove to the people in this country that Democrats aren’t any better than Republicans,” said Matthew Malone, from Oregon.

Fellow protester Daniel Clifton agreed: “It seems to me, at this presidential election, we basically don’t have a choice.”

Eric Verlo, from Colorado, said he was trying to convince others not to vote in protest.

“I’m here to protest the sham of the election, and the DNC and RNC,” he said.

But some protesters wanted more activism. Marc Dreyfors, a leader in the Forest Foundation, an environmental group in the Triangle area, said he was worried about the apathy in young people today.

Dreyfors drove UNC and N.C. State University students to the protest, and neither of the 45-passenger buses were full. He said there were 22 students on one bus, and 27 students on the other.

But the protest featured people of all ages.

Anna Behnke, age 11, marched with her mother, Sarah Behnke, to protest coal-fired power plants near Mountain Island Lake.

Anna said she was having fun, but: “It’s hot.” Temperatures reached the 90s in Charlotte Sunday.

Tara Beck, a student at N.C. State, said she was also marching for environmental justice.

“I think it’s very important to voice our opinions to both parties,” she said.

Some protesters focused on specific policy and legislation, while others were more concerned with social issues.

Anne Bruden, a retired social worker, said she went to segregated schools as a child and was protesting against racism.

“I’m glad to see a black president, but the system still can’t make equality a reality,” she said.

Although the city closed off the roads to accommodate for the protest, Bruden said she was not happy with the police presence. Charlotte policemen lined the roads to prevent protesters from leaving the cleared street.

“I don’t appreciate my tax dollars going to repress a people’s rally,” she said.

Immigration was also a popular topic at the protest. People held up butterfly signs that read, “migration is a human right.”

Alex Cruz said he emigrated from Mexico but has lived in North Carolina for 15 years. He said he was dissatisfied with Obama’s policies on deportations.

“We’re not supporting Obama (in this election),” he said. “At least I’m not.”

But most of the protesters did not have an alternative in mind to Obama or Romney.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re Republican or Democrat, they all want to mess up our country,” said unemployed New York activist Anthony Robledo.