Cars honked and students cheered during a march to support presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Saturday.
The march went through UF’s campus and along University Avenue to draw attention to Sanders’ campaign. About 60 students and Gainesville residents carried posters reading, “Feel the Bern,” and, “A vote 4 Bernie is a vote 4 equality.”
Before the march, volunteers registered supporters to vote in the primaries, said Kara Sharp, who helped organize the march. While marching, supporters went to the U.S. Post Office on Northwest First Avenue to mail their forms.
Sharp, a 22-year-old UF economics senior, said she got the idea for the march after seeing other marches for Sanders scheduled across the nation on Facebook. She said there weren’t any marches in Gainesville, so she and her roommate decided to organize one themselves.
Fewer people showed up than she expected, but she was happy with the turnout, she said.
“Obviously, they’re not here because it’s 30 degrees,” she said.
She said although the weather might have discouraged some people from attending, she didn’t want to reschedule the march. She said she wanted to show Floridians could handle the cold.
Florida’s primaries will be held March 15. Only voters registered with a political party can vote.
“Even if they don’t support Bernie Sanders, anyone can register here,” Sharp said.
Melissa Powers, a UF psychology junior, said she went to the march alone, and it was her first time attending a Bernie Sanders event.
“It’s always good to take an opportunity to support a cause you’re passionate about,” the 21-year-old said.
Powers said she marched for Sanders because of his support of Planned Parenthood and the Black Lives Matter movement. She also hopes Sanders decreases the wealth gap between the rich and poor, if elected.
“I just think it’s kind of ridiculous that we live in a country with such a big disparity between the upper class and the lower class,” she said. “Anyone who believes in that sort of thing should support him.”
Sara Nishku, who helped organize the event, said she thought the march united Gainesville residents of all ages and backgrounds.
“It’s what Bernie Sanders stands for, in a way, that he brings different people together from all over the nation,” the 20-year-old UF food science junior said.
Every few minutes, drivers would honk their horns. Sharp said there was more support than she expected.
“We got a lot, a lot of honks — never-ending honks.” she said. “I felt like I was flying high.”
Bernie Sanders supporters walk west on University Avenue on Saturday. About 60 students and Gainesville residents carried posters and marched across UF’s campus to show their support for Sanders’ presidential campaign.
