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Coronavirus News: COVID victims' families march to Trump Building, call on President to act

COVID-19 News and Information

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Families of COVID victims march, call on Trump to act

CeFaan Kim has the details on a march to call attention to COVID victims and demand action from President Trump.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A group of families of COVID-19 victims marched to the Trump Building in Lower Manhattan to call on President Donald Trump to take action in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The "March for The Dead, Fight for the Living" was organized by a coalition of family members of COVID victims and advocacy groups.

A news release for the march said participants would "lay the responsibility for countless deaths on President Trump and the Republican party, who are failing even now to take action to end the suffering of millions of people."

With the Republican National Convention set to kick off next week, the participants say this march is about making sure voters know who's responsible for their agony.

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"Trump and his cowardly enablers, they all have blood on their hands," said Martin Quinn, an activist with COVID Families and Rise and Resist. "I don't know how else to channel my pain but to pressure them and the rest of the country to do better."

The sunset candlelight procession began in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center, traversed the Brooklyn Bridge, and ended in front of the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street where people who have lost family members delivered personal stories.

Quinn's parents both contracted COVID-19. His father tested positive eight weeks ago and died alone on Wednesday.

"He did not have to die! The 175,000 people did not have to die! Our loved ones did not have to die," Quinn said.

The group says similar events were planned around the country, in states including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

Demonstrators say they know their message is aimed at an audience who won't be listening.

But they say that's okay.

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