WATCH: Bernie Sanders Supporters Singing Civil Rights Anthem Take Over Biden’s Iowa Office
A group backing Independent Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders took over former Vice President Joe Biden’s statewide Iowa headquarters while singing “This Little Light of Mine,” a hymn that was adapted into an anthem of the civil rights movement of the 50s and 60s.
Five members of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action — a group that backs Sanders and his “Medicare for All” plan — were arrested Monday after about 30 members of the group staged a protest in Vice President Joe Biden’s Des Moines headquarters.
The group posted an extensive Twitter thread about the protest, including a video of the group clapping on random beats and singing the civil rights-era anthem with their own replacement lyrics: “In Joe Biden’s office, I’m gonna let it shine…”
The activists in @JoeBiden’s office are here to tell Biden to stop his lies about #MedicareForAll and cut his ties with big healthcare CEOs who fund him.
We are speaking truth to power. We are here to shine our lights! pic.twitter.com/tyeXHFBBT9
— Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action (@CCIAction) January 28, 2020
There were no senior staff present to speak with the group, but they posted several videos of attempts to contact senior Biden officials on speakerphone. First was a call to Biden senior adviser Cristóbal Alex, which featured group leader Cherie Mortice and the group demanding he give a message to Biden and chanting, apparently into his voice mail — after which Mortice wondered aloud “Should we sing?”
Activists remind the office staff that they are not leaving until they talk to the people with decision-making power on @JoeBiden campaign. Cherie Mortice pulls out a phone and begins to dial.@CristobalJAlex pic.twitter.com/gf15oncXqr
— Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action (@CCIAction) January 28, 2020
Mortice did manage to get Biden senior adviser Brandon English, but after about a minute of her pitch, English could be heard saying “Sorry, what was that?”
After listening to a repeated demand for a conversation with Biden’s national campaign director, English replied “Alright, thanks for the call, you have a good night.”
We still haven’t gotten an answer. We’re calling Senior Biden Advisor Brandon English @brandonenglish.
He hung up on us.
We need to talk about @JoeBiden’s lies about #MedicareForAll and his ties to the healthcare CEOs who fund his campaign. pic.twitter.com/gJgyuVL5bx
— Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action (@CCIAction) January 28, 2020
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