Tens of thousands of people gathered at Gloria Molina Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, April 12, to hear from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) as they made their latest stop in their nationwide “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.
Attendees sported Sanders memorabilia and progressive slogans, and the overwhelming crowd size spilled out from Grand Park and onto the steps of City Hall and into the streets. Sanders appealed to attendees to mobilize against corporate money in politics and the dismantling of federal agencies and democratic norms by the Trump administration.
He also espoused the urgency for progressive reforms including universal healthcare, increased minimum wage, and taxes on the wealthy.
“We are living in a moment of extraordinary danger,” Sanders said. “How we respond to this moment will not only impact our lives, but impact the lives of our kids and future generations.”
The Independent senator was joined by Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive politicians including Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Florida), Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), and city councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. The event also featured musical guests Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, and Neil Young.
“Welcome to Bernie-chella!” Rogers said to the crowd as she walked on stage.
According to the Sanders campaign, over 36,000 people attended the nearly six-hour long rally, which is the largest crowd size the tour has seen thus far, beating the 34,000 people that came out in Denver on March 21.
Sanders made a surprise appearance later that evening at the Coachella music festival, speaking to the crowd about ‘fighting back’ against Trump and his agenda before opening the next set for artist Clairo.
