Brooklyn to show up in force at post-inauguration protest

Linda Sarsour is March on Washington organizer

December 28, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Bay Ridge political activist Linda Sarsour says she is looking forward to the Women’s March on Washington. AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams

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Brooklyn is going to make its presence felt in a big way at a nationally organized protest set to take place in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 21, the day after Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the U.S.

The protest, called the Women’s March on Washington, is being organized by a national coalition of activists that includes Linda Sarsour, a Bay Ridge political activist who also serves as executive director of the Arab-American Association of New York.

“I am honored to be one of the national co-chairs of what will be the historic Women’s March on Washington. As an Arab and Muslim American woman, my communities need to be visible to send a strong message to the administration that we are united and we won’t allow anyone to further marginalize or target the most vulnerable communities,” Sarsour told the Brooklyn Eagle via email on Wednesday

Sarsour added that she is “proud to represent Bay Ridge and add to our rich history.”

Local organizers of the Women’s March on Washington recently announced that they had organized a fleet of buses to transport New Yorkers to the event.

The buses, provided by Staten Island-based U.S. Coachways, will pick up marchers in 56 different neighborhoods across New York City, including over a dozen areas of Brooklyn, according to the New York City Chapter of the Women’s March on Washington.

“It is our highest priority to ensure that this march is accessible for people from every demographic in New York. We hope that by providing routes in far-reaching neighborhoods, the diversity of our city can be truly represented at this historic gathering,” NYC Chapter Coordinator Karen Waltuch said in a statement.

The buses will be leaving from Bay Ridge, DUMBO and several other neighborhoods.

Tickets for the buses cost $62 plus tax round-trip and are leaving and returning on the same day on Jan. 21

The demand for bus tickets was so high that the buses sold out within days. New York City Chapter of the Women’s March on Washington posted a message on its Facebook page on Dec. 27 informing followers that there were no more seats available.

“Due to extreme demand for charter buses, all ticket sales are suspended as of 5 p.m. today. If you have already purchased a ticket to Washington, D.C. before this point, your purchase will be honored, even if you have not yet received a confirmation,” the statement read.

But residents who have not yet booked transportation still have options.

Due to overwhelming demand for transportation to the march, a New York developer created marchmatch.org, a website that pairs marchers together for carpooling, housing and other transportation needs.

New York City Chapter of the Women’s March on Washington was organized within days of the announcement that the march would be held. The chapter consists of a core group of 10 organizers and 30 volunteers.

“New York has a special place in this march. As the nation’s capital for the arts and the meeting point of so many intersecting identities, we are in a unique position to amplify the voices calling out for this effort. We are known for speaking our minds, and have the ability to voice what the country is feeling during this complicated time in our history,” NYC Chapter copywriter Farah Ahmad said.

The march also has more than 30 co-sponsoring groups.

“We’re proud to stand with people from all across the country to declare that women’s rights are human rights and to demand that the new administration and Congress protect everyone’s human rights,” said Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA.