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Rev. Al Sharpton & NAN Announce Strict COVID-19 Rules for August 28th “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” March, Citing Racial Climate as the Urgent Need to Still Mobilize

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Aug 24, 2020

Reverend Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, along with Attorney Benjamin Crump and the Families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner & others to convene with National Action Network (NAN), NAACP & Others for a March on Washington in Protest of Police Brutality on August 28

(WASHINGTON, DC) — Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) are enforcing strict rules and restrictions to ensure safety during the ‘Get Your Knee Off Our Necks’ march amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The march’s COVID-19 protocols include distributing masks, thermometer check-in stations, restricting access to buses from states or cities that are COVID-19 hot spots, and practicing social distancing. Rev Al Sharpton, National Action Network, Martin Luther King III, NAACP, Attorney Benjamin Crump and families of police brutality victims, along with labor leaders, clergy, activists and civil rights advocates, will lead a Commitment March to fight for criminal justice reform in solidarity with those who have lost loved ones at the hands of the police. The march, under the rallying call, ‘Get Your Knee Off Our Necks,’ will coincide with the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington, where he delivered his historic “I Have A Dream” speech in 1963.

Speakers will include the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, and others led by Attorney Benjamin Crump, who will address the senseless loss of Black lives at the hands of police and advocate for issues including police accountability, criminal justice reform, voter protection and more. Protesters and activists will gather at Lincoln Circle to hear the day’s programming before marching to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.


Partners of the Commitment March include the NAACP; National Urban League; the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; Legal Defense Fund (LDF); Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; The Leadership Conference; American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AMFSCE); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); Americans for Democratic Action (ADA); A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI); Brady; the Community Action Partnership; Hispanic Federation; One Union; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); PERIOD.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Dream Corps; Hip Hop Caucus; The Obsidian Collection; United Auto Workers (UAW); United Steel Workers (USW); and UnidosUS.

#NANMOW2020

 

March Map

Map of the event setup.
Map of march route.

Health & Safety

We are mandating that all march participants, including members of the press, MUST wear a face-mask to participate and adopt safe social distancing practices.

To adhere to Parks and Recreational Facilities recommendations from DC Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and demonstrate responsibly, we are prohibiting participants from the list of high-risk geographies that is updated every two weeks on the city health website.

We highly encourage registrants who reside in those areas to stay home and join our live stream or a satellite rally closest to you. For more information regarding satellite rallies, please dial 877-626-4651.

Media is required to provide their own sanitation and PPE. While hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves will be available onsite, these are intended for march participants, speakers, and staff, and we encourage media to bring their own safety equipment.

All attendees will have their temperatures checked before entry into the event. Volunteers and marshals will be present to enforce social distancing guidelines.

If you are unable to attend, please join our live stream, which will be hosted on our website.

Program Schedule

Programming, roster, and timing of speakers are being confirmed. The general timeline of programming is below:

Gather: 7:00am EST
Pre-Program: 8:00am – 11:00am EST
Program: 11:00am – 1:00pm EST
March: 1:00pm EST
Conclusion: 3:00pm EST

March Entry

Participants will be directed to 17th St., NW, to begin the process for admittance at our general entrance.

To participate, each person must receive a NAN branded neon green wristband and a ticket. To receive a wristband and ticket, each person must have their temperature checked, must wear or receive a face mask, gloves (optional), and hand sanitizer from our volunteers, lined up along 17th in between each distribution center.

Due to very limited seating, if you are visually impaired or require wheelchair service please email immediately [email protected] for accommodations.

If you are unable to stand for a long period of time, we highly encourage you to stay home and stay updated by tuning into the live stream of the event on our website.

ADA Shuttles

Each mobility shuttle will have a placard identifying it as an “ADA Shuttle.” Shuttles will take persons with disabilities to and from: RFK Stadium, Union Station, and Potomac Avenue Station. From those locations, they will take the rail to Foggy Bottom.

At Foggy Bottom, shuttles will take people with disabilities to the ADA entrance to the Lincoln Memorial.

All shuttles will adhere to include social distancing guidelines from DC. Department of Health.

Traveling Buses

To participate, each person traveling by bus will have their temperatures checked before boarding. Additionally, we are mandating that each participant wears a face mask or they will not be allowed to board.

Bus coordinators will supply hand sanitizer on each bus traveling to the Commitment March. Prior to departure and arrival, bus coordinators will review the social distancing practices of the march site.

National Action Network encourages participants to:

Press Inquiries

Interested in covering the event? Please see our press guide and send questions to [email protected].