Today's Moral Monday Protest Focuses on Education, ..11 Arrested Last Week

http://triadnc.twcnews.com/content/news/708526/moral-monday-protest-focuses-on-education/

Monday, June 09, 2014

RALEIGH—The state NAACP and the ‘Forward Together’ movement begin this week's Moral Monday demonstrations at the legislative auditorium.

The group said this week's theme is protecting education in North Carolina in response to cuts in teacher pay and school funding.

They will be holding a pre-rally meeting at 3 p.m. followed by a news conference. Demonstrations are set to begin at 5 p.m. on Halifax Mall behind the General Assembly building.

Last week, almost a dozen protesters were cited for sit-ins after they refused to leave the state capitol building.

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(last week)

http://www.wncn.com/story/25672776/environment-focus-of-moral-monday-rally

11 'Moral Monday' protesters cited for sit-in at NC Capitol

RALEIGH, N.C. -
Nearly a dozen Moral Monday protesters were cited Monday after they refused to leave North Carolina's state Capitol building until Gov. Pat McCrory repealed legislation enacted by the Republican-led General Assembly.

Eleven demonstrators were cited for misdemeanor trespassing after they refused to leave the locked Capitol building Monday evening. The Capitol building closes daily at 5 p.m.; the protesters entered the building, which houses McCrory's office, around 4:30 p.m.

The act came just a week after 14 people were arrested at 1:45 a.m. on May 28 when the refused to leave House speaker Thom Tillis' office.

"It hurt," said Crystal Price, who was arrested last week. "But I had to make a stand somehow. And if I had to get arrested, so be it."

The protesters staged their latest sit-in after they were unable to deliver a letter to McCrory. They were calling on the governor to expand Medicaid and repeal policies set forth by the Republican-led General Assembly.

A second rally of Moral Monday protesters also gathered behind the Legislative Building in opposition to fracking as well as in support of Medicaid expansion.

"I think that our message is loud and clear," Dr. Susan Eder said. "I'm not sure that they listen, and I think that is a serious problem. As a psychiatrist, my job is listening. I listen to people that I don't always agree with, but I listen.

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