Sanders supporters promise peaceful protest during DNC

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Bruce Carter of Black Men for Bernie speaks at a pro-Sanders rally in Dilworth Park. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Bruce Carter of Black Men for Bernie speaks at a pro-Sanders rally in Dilworth Park. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

While fears grow of a divisive fight in the Democratic Party this summer, supporters of Bernie Sanders have announced plans for a peaceful protest in Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

There were angry shouting matches and reports of chairs thrown at the state Democratic convention in Nevada when Sanders supporters felt they weren’t getting fair representation.

The group of Sanders supporters who gathered outside City Hall Wednesday promised to remain peaceful, but said they expect to rally at the plaza outside the Municipal Services Building in Center City.

The group is still holding out hope Sanders will be the party’s standard-bearer.  Bruce Carter of Black Men for Bernie says Sanders is the only candidate he can believe in.

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“I’m 100 percent Bernie-or-bust in the general election,” Carter said. “Our goal is to register every black male over 18 that can vote so they will have a voice in the general election regardless of who has the nomination.”

Laurice Heard, another member of the group, said he can’t vote for Hillary Clinton at this point.

“I feel Bernie has a lot of points that make sense for the people as a whole,” Heard said. “I’m confident Bernie is going to get the nominee, I think things are close.”

Yah Ne Ndgo said she’s worried Sanders’ chances may be killed by super delegates, who are appointed by the party and not elected by the people.

“The person who has the most pledged delegates really should be the person who wins, but that’s hard to determine when the process hasn’t been handled properly,” she said.

Ndgo says she wants Sanders to be a third-party candidate if the Democrats don’t give him the nomination in July.

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