Dozens of protesters on Monday once again descended on Virginia’s Executive Mansion to call for Gov. Ralph Northam (D-VA) to resign following the resurfacing of a racist photo in his medical yearbook.
According to Fredericksburg.com, roughly 100 protesters demonstrated on the north side of the Richmond mansion, nearby the Patrick Henry Building, calling on the Northam to exit his post over a photo showing the embattled Virginia Democrat and another individual in blackface and a Ku Klux Klan robe and hat. Leading Republicans and Democrats, including several presidential candidates such as Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Elizbeth Warren (D-NJ), have also called for his ouster.
The protesters were armed with signs that read “You broke it Ralph,” and “Betrayed by Gov. Northam.”
At once point during the protest, the crowd chanted, “Ralph resign!”
“We have a leader that’s not listening to us,” protester Tracey Cortder told WTVR. “We have a leader that thinks their personal ambitions is more important than the good of the state.”
“I think back to 1984. I was five. At five years old I knew that was wrong,” another protester told the outlet. “He was a grown man in medical school, so yeah. That’s not someone I want representing us.”
Luis Aguilar, a local community activist who organized the protest, said they will continue until Northam steps aside.
Photos and video of the protest began circulating on Twitter at around 10:45 a.m. EST.
Here's what the small Northam protest looks like right now outside the governor's mansion in Richmond. pic.twitter.com/uCEEqfhmRI
— Tommy Lopez (@TommyLopezTV) February 4, 2019
https://twitter.com/gragonews/status/1092457540519120897
The group just turned around and yelled “Boy bye” at the mansion. Now, much louder chants ringing out. “Ralph resign.” pic.twitter.com/LhHHwpyQ07
— Gordon Rago (@gragonews) February 4, 2019
We are now marching pic.twitter.com/szib9E47lo
— Gordon Rago (@gragonews) February 4, 2019
"What do we want? Resignation. When do we want it? Now!"
Protesters march outside the governor's mansion in Richmond, Virginia, demanding the resignation of Gov. Ralph Northam amid yearbook photo controversy. https://t.co/H7EEKfnnm6 pic.twitter.com/vynNdOk73E
— ABC News (@ABC) February 4, 2019
A protest is now moving on Capitol St in Richmond. They're shouting for Gov. Northam to resign. pic.twitter.com/euuDGQpYVD
— Tommy Lopez (@TommyLopezTV) February 4, 2019
— Gordon Rago (@gragonews) February 4, 2019
Apologies for the tweet flurry. More video on Broad. pic.twitter.com/CWDDDyxy3i
— Gordon Rago (@gragonews) February 4, 2019
A “concerned citizen” upset by Northam’s recent comments on abortion legislation tipped off a news site about a racist yearbook photo now threatening the governor’s career, the site’s editor said Monday.
The photo on Northam’s page in a 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School became public when Big League Politics published it Friday.
The site’s editor-in-chief, Patrick Howley, said in an interview that the tipster was “absolutely not a political operative, absolutely not — just a concerned citizen” but declined to elaborate on their identity. He said he published his story later that day after confirming the photo’s authenticity.
“I can say that the decision to publicize this photo by bringing it to me was based on this person’s anger about what Gov. Northam said about infanticide,” said Howley.
Northam first admitted he was in the picture without saying which costume he was wearing and apologized. However, a day later, he denied he was in the photo while acknowledging that he once put on blackface to imitate Michael Jackson at a dance contest decades ago. On Monday, the governor was huddling with advisers to decide his course.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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