Hundreds of likeminded individuals from around the metro area rallied at Union Square on Saturday, braving sporadic rain to protest against and raise awareness about Monsanto and the genetically modified food produced by the multinational company’s seeds.
The crowd was filled with Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, going under the name Occupy Monsanto, but also many gray-haired, seasoned activists, parents with children in tow or in strollers, foodies and concerned college students.
Drawing attention to the issue of genetically modified and genetically engineered crops and seeds, the New York demonstration was one of more than 400 in 50 countries worldwide.
In Union Square’s southern plaza, amplified by a bullhorn that didn’t quite reach the far edges of those gathered, numerous speakers rallied the crowd.
One of the speakers, Christine Segal, a health coach, summed up the reasons people were there.
“We are marching for clean food,” she declared. “We are marching for our health with nutrient-dense food. We are marching for farmers who have the right to plant seeds of their choice. We are marching for bees…for salmon…for soil…for countries abroad for their right to their own culture, for our planet, for future generations.”
Following the speeches, protesters holding a plethora of creative and expressive handmade signs marched on the sidewalk around Union Square — as Greenmarket shopping went on — then continued down Broadway, ending at Washington Square Park.
— Tequila Minsky
