Roughly 300 protesters assembled in front of the offices of New York senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer this afternoon to denounce the legislators' co-sponsorship of PIPA. Gathered inside a barricade pen, the demonstrators heard from an array of speakers, including a number of prominent figures in the tech industry.
New York Tech Meet Up Chairman, Andrew Rasiej, coordinated the demonstration and introduced each speaker. Rasiej claimed the protest was essential to maintaining the vitality of New York City vibrant tech sector.
"This is about the future of New York, jobs for New York and the future of the open web," he said.
"What we're seeing here is a classic example of our 20th century politics clashing with the realities of a 21st century connected humanity and a global economy," Rasiej added.
Rasiej, and the string of speakers he introduced, called on senators Schumer and Gillibrand to pull their support for the controversial legislation. Many pointed out that the tech industry in New York city employs tens of thousands of individuals; including women and young people, who are often excluded from other industries. On top of that, the speakers added, the industry continues to grow.
Andrew McLaughlin, executive vice president of Tumblr, said a free and open internet empowers disenfranchised movements and people to have their voices heard.
Meanwhile, Redditt's co-founder, Alexis Ohanian, said the struggle to combat the bills was, "a fight to save democracy."
"Let this be the beginning," Ohanian added.
As the speakers wrapped up, a pair of young men familiar to those who've covered New York City's ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests took to the podium. Using the familiar "people's mic" the two called for "nerd out" march to Time Square several blocks away. Approximately 200 protesters made their way to the iconic stretch of Manhattan amid chants of "We want innovation, not stupid legislation," and "What is it we wanna get? Freedom of the internet!"
Upon arrival to the square the protesters, including one young woman holding a sign that read "Give me lolcatz or give me death," continued to denounce both SOPA and PIPA as a small contingent of passers-by and police looked on.
Interesting point from Gene Koo, executive director at Civics Inc, a non-profit organization founded by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, via our own Amanda Michel.
The list of supporters/opponents looks like most bipartisan thing I've seen in Congress for some time. Why is that?
As we reported earlier Florida senator Marco Rubio, a man tipped for the top of his party, has come out against SOPA/PIPA. Here in New York our Ryan Devereaux has been attending a rally against Charles Schumer, one of the bills' Democrat supporters. At the weekend Obama officials made clear that they were against the legislation as it stands.
Anti-SOPA: Marco Rubio Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Divided they stand.
No comments:
Post a Comment