La Riva/Puryear campaign takes to the streets outside McCain-Obama debate

PSL’s La Riva/Puryear Campaign
Takes to the Streets Outside McCain-Obama Debate

As John McCain and Barack Obama held their final debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation took to the streets to talk about the real issues effecting working people that were not addressed by the capitalist party candidates.

La Riva/Puryear supporters across the street from the debate. Click here to watch a video of the protest. Police confront IVAW members on the street. Moments later, the police violently charged forward, sending one veteran to the hospital. Click here to watch a video of the protest.

With a banner that read “Say No to the Twin Parties of Corporate Bailouts, Racism and War Vote Socialist,” and signs demanding an end to racist police brutality, a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, an end to the war in Iraq, and the right to housing and a job, supporters of Gloria La Riva’s and Eugene Puryear’s Presidential Campaign made their voices heard at the entrance to Hofstra University.

Before the debate began, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War demanded to enter the debate site to ask questions of the candidates. As they walked towards the University’s entrance, supporters joined them in the street, chanting “let them in.” Police on horseback and in riot gear stopped the veterans. Chants changed to “let them go” as 15 veterans and supporters were arrested. The PSL joins with others in demanding that all charges be dropped on those arrested.

The police then road their horses into the crowd, forcing them back across the street. Riot police pushed the crowd onto the sidewalk. One of the veterans was taken away in an ambulance after being trampled by a horse. As police repression escalated, many people from Hempstead who had come out to observe or to support one of the candidates became engaged in the protest, joining chants of “They say get back, we say fight back” led by PSL members.

As police shielded the capitalist party candidates from the voice of the people, the demonstration continued across from the University entrance. Even though PSL’s Presidential Candidate Gloria La Riva, the only trade union, anti-war and immigrant rights leader running for president has been excluded from the sham presidential debates, the La Riva / Puryear Campaign will continue to get the word out about its “People Over Profits” campaign and will continue to be in the streets.

Gloria La Riva and Eugene Puryear are currently on speaking tours across the country. Check out the links below to find an event near your!

Click this link to see Gloria La Riva’s schedule

Click this link to see Eugene Puryear’s schedule

We encourage everyone to view the video below, which shows the real story of Hempstead, N.Y., the site of last night’s debate.




Click here to make a donation today to help cover the costs of transportation and event organizing to get the message of the La Riva/Puryear’s “People Over Profits” campaign out across the country!