Protesters prepare to speak against BofA, Duke Energy

Aug 29 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ely Portillo The Charlotte Observer

Activists planning to march before the Democratic National Convention went over their plans one last time Wednesday, and said they expect thousands to turn out Sunday and protest Charlotte-based Bank of America and Duke Energy.

Organizers with the Coalition to March on Wall Street South, a collection of more than 90 groups, also said they plan to demand greater rights for undocumented immigrants, greater funding for public schools and universities, and an end to foreclosures.

Speaking in front of a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in uptown's Marshall Park, the group drew parallels between their issues and the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

"Right before Martin Luther King was assassinated, there was a transition, where he started what he called the poor people's campaign," said Ayende Alcala, of Rock Hill. He's an organizer with the coalition.

Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Duke, the nation's largest electric utility are expected to be major targets of Sunday's March on Wall Street South. Protesters will stop in front of Duke and Bank of America's headquarters for "peoples' speakouts," where people will share stories of how they say those companies have hurt them.

Organizers said they don't have a firm idea of how many people are coming, but said they expect anywhere from several thousand on up. Turnout for protests at the Republican National Convention has been unexpectedly low, with some major marches totaling only several hundred. Protest groups blamed the low turnout on Hurricane Isaac.

People who stayed away from Tampa due to the bad weather could head to Charlotte to express their concerns at the DNC, coalition organizers said. They also invited Charlotteans to join the events in Charlotte.

Major DNC protest events

Portillo: 704-358-5041 On Twitter @ESPortillo