Sanders supporters planning to rally at convention
Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign is seeking a demonstration permit for the day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Philadelphia.
Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign is seeking a demonstration permit for the day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Philadelphia.
The Sanders campaign wants to hold a "traditional Bernie campaign rally" July 24 at FDR Park in South Philadelphia, campaign spokesman Michael Briggs said.
The date and location already had been scooped up from the city by Sanders supporter Bill Taylor, of Northeast Philadelphia. Now, the Sanders campaign is coordinating with Taylor to use the permit to get a prime spot for the rally. Briggs did not elaborate on the rally plans except to say that Sanders would deliver a "victory statement."
Sanders currently trails Hillary Clinton in pledged delegates; she is expected to have more than enough delegates to secure the nomination at the convention.
Taylor said that he plans to release his city permit to the campaign, but that there was still a lot of paperwork to be done. He also has requests for the campaign, in particular that the rally be open to everyone with March for Bernie, a group of supporters not affiliated with the campaign. The rally was approved under a demonstration permit for 30,000 people.
Taylor, 30, is organizing the March for Bernie from City Hall to FDR Park, which is across from the stadiums complex in South Philadelphia, where the convention will be held. Once there, the marchers would join an official Sanders campaign rally.
"We are heavily encouraging Bernie to lead that march," Taylor said.
City spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said the transfer of permits is not allowed, but that organizations can work together under one permit.
"Organizations always have the option to partner and collaborate with other groups under the umbrella of an existing permit, but there is no precedent for the transfer of a permit between two organizations," Hitt said. "So if Bill Taylor and the Sanders campaign are working together, which is our understanding, that's fine."
Taylor holds three of the five city-issued demonstration permits for the convention, which will run July 25 through July 28. He is expecting hundreds of thousands of people to show up and march in support of Sanders or Sanders' causes.
"We can guarantee you there will be a political revolution," Taylor said at a recent meeting with other local Sanders supporters and organizers.
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