Politics & Government
Watch: Bernie Sanders Holds Mega-Rally in Washington Square Park
The NYU-adjacent park was on lockdown Wednesday for Sanders' largest New York City rally yet.
GREENWICH VILLAGE, MANHATTAN — By the time New York City woke up Wednesday morning, police had completely locked down Manhattan's 10-acre Washington Square Park in anticipation of a Bernie Sanders mega-rally Wednesday night, the first in his final stretch of "Get Out the Vote" events before the New York primary election on April 19.
And by 6:30 p.m., rallygoers and journalists at the park were reporting a turnout in the tens of thousands.
See also:
- Bernie Sanders Joins Verizon Picket Line in Brooklyn (Video)
- Bernie Sanders Rally in Prospect Park Will Double as Free Grizzly Bear Concert
Sanders was joined onstage Wednesday night by Brooklyn film director Spike Lee; local Arab-American activist Linda Sarsour; actors Rosario Dawson and Tim Robbins; and musician Graham Nash. The bands Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors also opened with a short set.
Above is video of Sanders' speech at the event. (We'll keep this post updated with the best-quality footage we can find, so if the video isn't working, check back.)
And below, a curation of our favorite tweets from the evening.
View from 6th floor of Kimmel: Washington Square South & LaGuardia streets closed as people line up for rally pic.twitter.com/YI7HVjOMlZ
— gettin giggy with it (@GiannaCollier) April 13, 2016
The Bernie line is definitely reminiscent of trying to get into a music festival. pic.twitter.com/K8KYfQMY84
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Mama we made it!!! pic.twitter.com/Mka5SKb3RG
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 13, 2016
Hot Dogs 4 @BernieSanders pic.twitter.com/mSbe3M38ki
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
I have to say, #berniecouture is pretty epic. Peter Delitiris, 22, of Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/V2De1DsFJd
— Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
Someone def got weed past the Secret Service #bernbabybern
— Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
Disembodied megaphone voice keeps yelling "Are you feeling the Bern?" Where is it coming from? Why else would people be here?
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
masks are painted, friendship is born #berniesanders pic.twitter.com/egI08pgIhM
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 13, 2016
That's one way to do it pic.twitter.com/ZMFwaHPwK6
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 13, 2016
Bernie supporter speaking now says shouldn't elect "corporate democrat whores who are beholden to big pharma and the insurance industry."
— Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
The use of the word "whore" seemed to shock even some of the supporters in the crowd.
— Danielle Tcholakian (@danielleiat) April 13, 2016
The Secret Service are on top of the NYU conference hall, where I once attended a 'safe rave' while incredibly high. https://t.co/l1vu6hB3iD
— Kelly Weill (@KELLYWEILL) April 13, 2016
Bernie bros in the wild, refusing to get down from tiny, precarious tree pic.twitter.com/RjydirjcoX
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Someone is #blazing and we can't move or see the band. This feels exactly like a music festival.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
The streets of #nyc are packed surrounding Washington Square Park. Every creed, race, age, orientation. #FeelTheBern pic.twitter.com/wP0diusAFA
— DJ Neil Armstrong (@djneilarmstrong) April 13, 2016
BernieBro Mark Halperin spotted waiting to enter Bernie rally at Washington Square Park via general public entrance pic.twitter.com/fLYbflvTiO
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) April 13, 2016
From Vampire Weekend not knowing Zeppelin to Tim Robbins declaring: "I protested the Vietnam War in this park!" This rally is #peakbernie
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) April 13, 2016
Park ranger just politely asked a man to stop smoking weed, dude was pretty agreeable about it! Good vibes!
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
onesies for Bernie pic.twitter.com/zabUJJEkRA
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 13, 2016
Robbins calls Hillary a war-supporting Democrat who makes decisions "based on which way the wind is blowing" #BernieInNY
— YeaYouRite (@YeaYouRite) April 13, 2016
"one of the reasons I'm here is cuz I'm gay - not just gay but a yooooge gay" - guy at Bernie rally
— YeaYouRite (@YeaYouRite) April 13, 2016
One @lsarsour with the added smooth points for keeping the Bernie rally schedule rolling on. pic.twitter.com/un4ZM9s7pR
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) April 14, 2016
"We have to wake up on April 19th & hold our heads high. We know, if you make it in NY, you make it anywhere!"-@lsarsour #NewYorkforBernie
— Latinos for Bernie (@Latinos4Bernie) April 14, 2016
@lsarsour "We stand with Muslim and #BlackLivesMatter" abcnews cut feed O_O What's up with that!? #WashingtonSquarePark #FeelTheBern
— Jarrid (@JarridGreen) April 14, 2016
I'm kind of getting ready to vote for @lindasarsour for president now. #BernieSanders #BernieInNY pic.twitter.com/VAhMUyRqFM
— Tony Choi (@tonykchoi) April 14, 2016
"Fuck Verizon," Transit Workers Union official says warming up for Bernie Sanders
— Luke Brinker (@LukeBrinker) April 14, 2016
Two presences at the rally are impossible to avoid tonight: Occupy Wall Street and the Verizon strike.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Rosario Dawson onstage at the #bernierally now. Says "too many people have died because of the policies of some of the people running."
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 14, 2016
"Climate change is making it very clear that we need to move right now. " Rosario Dawson - #FeelTheBern live #WashingtonSquarePark
— FeelTheBernCA (@FrankieTease) April 14, 2016
.@SpikeLee: Are you tired of the okie-doke?! April 19th, show up and vote. #NewYorkforBernie pic.twitter.com/SLhcwTEJGQ
— Michael Oman-Reagan (@OmanReagan) April 14, 2016
"I'm the designated hype man. You know who's comin up next." — Spike Lee in Washington Square Park. WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/sjyJ1K1jTF
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
"Jane and I left New York City when we were kids and it's great to be back!" - Bernie #NewYorkForBernie
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 14, 2016
Lots of boos as Bernie states some statistics about income inequality. Specially, he's going after the Walton family.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Despite NYPD bag checks, mid-speech blazing is abundant.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
#WashingtonSquarePark is feeling the Bern. pic.twitter.com/L85wLEZSMH
— NY Working Families (@NYWFP) April 14, 2016
"If I am elected president, I will move to a national ban on fracking." pic.twitter.com/0qHbd8siY8
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
"You don't turn your backs on the people who built your country!" Bernie says as he explains his plan to expand social security.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
"Together we will not leave the American Dream to Die"
— nn99.org (@nn99org) April 14, 2016
"Women want the whole damn dollar and they are RIGHT"#Bernie pic.twitter.com/Her4GhyNii
Free public university gets tons of cheers, the irony of this speech being in front of NYU is not lost on us.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Bernie's jumping from prison reform to healthcare reform to education reform faster than we can tweet about it.
— NYU Local (@NYULocal) April 14, 2016
Bernie: "People say, 'Bernie, you're thinking too big! Your ideas are too...'"
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
Crowd: "YUUUGE!" pic.twitter.com/I750Ib934z
"When I look out at the 1000s of people who are here tonight... I think we've got a surprise for the establishment." https://t.co/sjyJ1K1jTF
— Brooklyn Patch (@BrooklynPatch) April 14, 2016
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