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Democracy Awakening culminated their protest in Washington, D.C. this weekend with hundreds of people gathering to protest voting rights restrictions, money in politics, and the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Democracy Awakening is comprised of a coalition of over 200 organizations representing labor, civil rights, environmental concerns, and political reform.

Actress/activist Rosario Dawson was among the more than 900 hundred people arrested throughout the week of protests. Most were charged with a misdemeanor, processed, and released on the scene.

On Monday, Rev. Ezra Tillman, Pastor of the First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan, and Mark Thompson, host of “Make It Plain” on Sirius – XM radio joined Roland Martin on NewsOne Now to discuss the Democracy Spring movement.

Thompson said one of the specific asks being made by the Democracy Awakening movement “is to see to it that the new voting rights acts is passed.”

He said this year’s presidential election is “unlike any other — it’s going to boil down to people casting their vote not just for the president, but for the future of the Supreme Court.” Thompson added, “We’re probably talking about one and maybe two appointments in the very near future.”

The radio host continued to explain how this year’s presidential election and potential Supreme Court appointments could play a role in overturning Citizens United and restoring Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act.

“If there is ever a time people needed to be motivated to register to vote — the time is now,” Thompson said.

NewsOne Now panelist Joia Jefferson Nuri said, “The most important thing that happened this weekend or over this past week with Democracy Spring is bringing to the attention of the voter that the biggest threat right now is the watering down of your right to vote and the power of money to influence your vote.” 

Watch Roland Martin and the NewsOne Now panel discuss the Democracy Awakening protest and movement in the video clip above.

TV One’s NewsOne Now has moved to 7 A.M. ET, be sure to watch “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin, in its new time slot on TV One.

Subscribe to the “NewsOne Now” Audio Podcast on iTunes.

SEE ALSO:

This Happened: Bill Clinton “Almost” Wants To Apologize For Slamming Black Lives Matter Protesters

Democracy Awakening: Protesters Highlight The “Watering Down” Of Voting Rights  was originally published on newsone.com