NYC Students Protest Over Facilities, Athletic Opportunities At City Council Hearing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- More than two dozen student protesters were escorted out of a New York City Council budget hearing Wednesday.
The incident delayed the hearing for about 15 minutes.
It began when high school students from the Bronx and Upper Manhattan stood up in the front row. They said their schools don't have the same facilities and opportunities for athletics as mostly white schools.
After a few spoke, security guards moved in.
Three students, wearing black gloves on raised fists, unfurled a giant banner on the balcony.
It read "#civilrightsmatter."
As students were being escorted out, another group near the back stood and chanted with their black-gloved fists raised.
As they were led away, their cries of "Civil rights matter!" and "Let them play!" could be heard throughout City Hall, drawing curious lawmakers out of meetings to have a look.
The hearing's chairman, Councilman Danny Dromm, D-Queens, called the students' demonstration inappropriate and said they should have signed up to speak, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
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