Dear Friends,
We expect thousands to join us at the No Hate No Mandate March
(12:30pm Delaware & Tupper) & 1pm Rally at Niagara Square. We hope you'll
be some of them! It's so important to stand up in solidarity for human
rights, justice, and a culture of true nonviolence and caring for ALL, now
while we still can! And to make sure that we still can!!
Below is info that's been on Facebook - offered here for those of you who
don't use FB!
Peace, Justice, Truth, and yes Love.
QUICK REFERENCE AND IMPORTANT NOTES ***Updated Jan. 18***
The No Hate, No Mandate march and rally will begin at 12:30 pm on
Saturday, January 21. We've compiled helpful information for you in this
information packet:
http://wnypeace.org/…/…/uploads/2017/01/NHNM-Info-Packet.pdf
MARCH AGREEMENT
In the information packet is a "March Agreement." **All marchers must
agree to and abide by this agreement** which essentially says:
*We will be nonviolent in action and words.
*We will be respectful of all people and property we encounter.
*We will not carry anything that can be construed as a weapon.
*We will not possess drugs or alcohol.
*We will use this event to advocate for women's rights and human rights,
rather than as a partisan platform.
*We will hold ourselves and one another accountable for our behavior.
***New*** PARKING
Please refer to the information packet (link above) for detailed
information about parking.
***New*** PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Metro Rail is free aboveground in downtown Buffalo. If parking is
difficult near Delaware Ave., you may want to park closer to Niagara
Square (faster to get to your car after the rally!) or near in any of the
lots near the Bisons Arena, and then take a free train to Fountain Plaza.
If you prefer to park outside the city and ride the train in, you can use
the free park-n-ride at UB or LaSalle Station (North Buffalo). The train
ride from these stations costs $2 per rider (each way).
There is more information about the Metro Rail here:
http://gobuffaloniagara.org/wa…/metro-bus-rail/park-n-rides/
Riding the train, you can disembark at Fountain Plaza and make your way to
Delaware and W. Tupper (or just go down Chippewa to Delaware and meet up
with the march there). If you prefer to go straight to Niagara Square,
take the train to Lafayette Station and proceed to Niagara Square.
(Note from our allies at Stronger Together coordinating the Solidarity Hub:
PARKING
• Parking in the Babeville lot is reserved for people with disability tags
and those with children under 6 years old.
• Please AVOID using Paladino-owned (Ellicott Development Corp.) parking
ramps. For details: www.BoycottPaladino.com.
• A map of all downtown parking is available at:
http://www.buffaloplace.com/…/2016PubliclyAvailableParking2…
• Save time and money with park-and-ride!
http://gobuffaloniagara.org/ways/metro-bus-rail/)
MARCH
The march will start at 341 Delaware Avenue (at the intersection of
Delaware and Tupper) and proceed down Delaware to Niagara Square. We do
NOT have a permit to march in the street, or to use bullhorns or other
amplified sound systems on the march. Please be sure to march on the
sidewalk and abide by traffic signals.
JOINING UP WITH THE MARCH
It is not necessary to join up with us at 341 Delaware... In fact, GIVEN
THE LARGE NUMBER OF MARCHERS EXPECTED, IT IS BEST TO MEET UP WITH THE
MARCH SOMEWHERE ALONG THE HALF-MILE ROUTE. A map of the march route is
provided in the information packet.
If you do want to join up with the march at the corner of Delaware and
Tupper, we recommend meeting up with us on Tupper and helping forming a
long line down Tupper. There will simply be too many people for us to
gather in a crowd on the corner and we do not want anyone in the road.
Help keep yourselves and your fellow marchers safe by creating a line on
the sidewalk on Tupper.
***Update*** RALLY
The rally in Niagara Square will begin around 1:00 and is expected to end
by 2:30 (NOTE THE CHANGE IN END TIME!). The process to secure a permit for
the rally is proceeding on schedule. Even with a permit, we cannot block
roads, so please go to the park surrounding the monument, or gather on the
sidewalks on the outside of Niagara Square if the park fills. We have a
sound system reserved and you should be able to hear our speakers and
musicians from wherever you stand.
***New*** PUSSY HATS
You may have heard about the "pussy hats." They are pink. They're knitted.
They look like cat's ears. :)
SAFETY
We are expecting a safe, secure, family-friendly event. We have been in
contact with the Buffalo Police Department and they are aware of our
plans. You will see a police presence; this is typical for a public
demonstration and is not cause for concern. Officers are there to ensure
everyone's safety. If a police officer asks to check your bag or backpack,
please allow them to do so. Legal observers will also be present.
We are not aware of any groups planning to protest our rally with a
counter-message, but there is a section of the information packet that
addresses how to handle this situation, in the event it occurs.
SIGNS
Signs will not be provided, so please make and bring a sign with you, if
you'd like to carry one. The information packet includes suggested
guidelines that were provided by the Women's March national team, however,
no one will be policing your sign. Make the sign that is meaningful for
you, bearing in mind that we are a **nonviolent** action (which includes
being nonviolent in our words) and that many people will be bringing
children.
