Huge LA crowds show Bernie Sanders and AOC are the real leaders of the Dem party
Los Angeles: A huge crowd of 36,000 protesters gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday for the largest rally yet on Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Fighting Oligarchy tour.
The demonstrators voiced strong opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies, with Ocasio-Cortez accusing him of manipulating markets for billionaire allies through his recent “tariff shuffle".
Speaking at Gloria Molina Grand Park, Sanders mocked Trump’s claims about rally attendance, referencing Elon Musk’s suggestion that progressive demonstrators are paid organizers. “Anybody here get paid to come today?” Sanders asked the roaring crowd. He then challenged Trump to explain why he supports cutting Medicaid and healthcare while granting tax breaks to billionaires.
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Sanders also took aim at Musk directly, responding to the billionaire’s tweet about oligarchy. “Elon, you're damn right. That's what I've been talking about,” Sanders said. “The difference is I'm no longer talking about how we're moving to oligarchy. I'm talking about how we are living today in an oligarchic form of society.” He condemned the ultra-wealthy for prioritizing greed over moral principles.
Ocasio-Cortez called the current political climate “terrifying,” citing the targeting of activists and unjust detentions. She also slammed congressional stock trading and Trump’s market interference, alleging his tariff reversal was a scheme to benefit wealthy insiders. “Donald Trump is a criminal—convicted on 34 felony counts of fraud,” she declared. “He is lying, and he is manipulating the stock market too.”
The rally featured performances by Neil Young, Maggie Rogers, and Joan Baez, along with speeches from progressive lawmakers like Reps. Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal. The Fighting Oligarchy tour continues through Western states, with upcoming stops in Utah, Idaho, and Montana.