2/21 Protest
On February 21st, during Luigi Mangione’s appearance on NY state charges, protesters rallied outside the Manhattan Courthouse to demand urgent healthcare reform and highlight concerns over the handling of Luigi Mangione’s case. PoPNYC asked protesters to wear #green4Luigi in a show of solidarity.
Luigi Mangione appears in court, wearing green in solidarity with his supporters
Supporters hold banners with the words "HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT" & "FREE LUIGI"
Volunteers arrived early outside the courthouse at 11:00am to make signs, sew banners, and distribute extra green shirts. Media was already gathered on the sidewalk, filming and interviewing protesters. Over a hundred people were also gathered inside the courthouse, hoping for a seat at the 2:15pm hearing. Only 19 members of the public were permitted to enter. Police cleared the remaining people from the halls.
At the rally outside, people chanted slogans such as "Stop denials with AI! How many people have to die?" and "One struggle, one fight! Healthcare is a human right!"
Billboard Trucks
During the rally, three billboard trucks circled the courthouse. Two of these were sponsored by PoPNYC (see more on our Billboard Project page). One large LED truck featured the words "NO MORE DEATH BY DENIAL" accompanying pictures of those killed by the insurance industry. The QR code on this truck linked to our healthcare page.
Another truck displayed the words JURY NULLIFICATION, and in perfect timing, photo-bombed a live news broadcast about the proceedings. This truck was sponsored by PoPNYC in partnership with Citizens for Jury Empowerment.
The "DEATH BY DENIALS" truck featured people who died due to health insurance denials
During a live news broadcast, perfect timing from the JURY NULLIFICATION billboard truck
"We, the people, want Luigi free!"
As the rally continued, crowds erupted into chants, including, "No more deaths by denial! Put the system on trial!" "Corporate greed we must fight, healthcare is a human right!" and "We, the people, want Luigi free! Who's the real terrorist? UHC!"
The shouts of the crowd broke into loud cheering every time one of the billboard trucks circled past. These cheers could be heard in the courtroom and on livestreams.
Protesters chant anti-corporate slogans and burst into cheers as a JURY NULLIFICATION truck rolls by
Crowds chant, "We, the people, want Luigi free!"
Calls to Action
PoPNYC volunteers went through the crowd asking protesters to sign up for one or more calls to action. Three of these calls to action came from PNHP-NY, a healthcare organization that also organized their members to rally. The other focused on Luigi Mangione's legal fund. The calls to action included:
- Write to lawmakers about passing the NY Health Act
- Sign up for lobby day
- Join a coast-to-coast group organizing around public health
- Donate to Luigi Mangione's legal fund with a message about why this matters
People who completed a call to action were entered into a raffle to win a free Luigi plush as a way to encourage more involvement in activism and making change.
A PoPNYC volunteer raises the Luigi plush during a chant to "Free Luigi!"
Around 3:30pm, after the court proceedings finished and the press conference outside concluded, PoPNYC volunteers drew the raffle for the winner, ending the rally by giving away the free Luigi. The billboard trucks were sent to carry their messages through the busiest parts of NYC.
We want to thank every single person who attended. Thank you for standing up for justice, for human rights, and for every American’s access to healthcare. This is only the beginning of a long fight, but together, our collective action will create change. We will continue to demand a system that centers the health and wellbeing of its people, not the profits of billion-dollar corporations. And as we chanted at the courthouse, our voices ringing out loud and clear: We, the people, want Luigi free.