STREAM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINALS

North Carolina NAACP Continues Fight Against GOP's "Cruel Attack"

The head of the NAACP in North Carolina said that the protests against a number of policies by the state’s Republican legislature and governor will continue on Monday.

Rev. William J. Barber II (Photo: Up w/Steve Kornacki via MSNBC)

The head of the NAACP in North Carolina said that the protests against a number of policies by the state’s Republican legislature and governor will continue on Monday and even intensify in coming weeks in response to budget cuts and proposed changes to voting laws.

So far, more than 100 people have been arrested for protesting at the state capital against a wide number of policy decisions by the North Carolina General Assembly. The arrests are designed to raise awareness of everything from cuts in preschool funding to restrictions on voting periods.

“We’re going to continue our acts of civil disobedience because the General Assembly has made a cruel attack on the most vulnerable people in this state,” said the Rev. William J. Barber II, the president of the state NAACP, in an interview with BET.com. “They are doing everything to make things difficult for people who are already having challenges making ends meet.”

By getting arrested at the General Assembly, the protesters are seeking to call attention to a number of policies put in place by Gov. Pat McCrory. They say they are angered by the cut in the payroll tax credit for more than 900,000 poor and working people in North Carolina as well as a rejection of federal funding to expand Medicaid coverage for more than 500,000 residents who don’t have health insurance.

The protests, which are known as Moral Mondays, involve a wide range of North Carolinians, from students and professors to community activists and labor union leaders.

Barber and the NAACP have announced plans for an escalation of the protests in the coming weeks, outlining a 25-county tour to raise awareness of McCrory’s policies.

“We have to continue this,” Barber said. “This is a movement, not just a one-day event. We’re going to work to guarantee that this state knows how regressive this legislature is. That way, when 2014 comes, the people of this state can vote in an appropriate way.”
BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 

Get ready for the BET Experience, featuring Beyoncé, Snoop DoggR. Kelly, Erykah BaduKendrick Lamar and many more. Go here for more details and info on how to buy ticketsRegister now to attend free film screenings, celebrity basketball games and more.

Latest News

Subscribe for BET Updates

Provide your email address to receive our newsletter.


By clicking Subscribe, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers) and other information from BET and the Paramount family of companies. You understand that you can unsubscribe at any time.