--- title: Black Lives Matter Protestors Storm Bernie Sanders Rally in Seattle description: Sanders never got the chance to speak. canonical: https://time.com/3989917/black-lives-matter-protest-bernie-sanders-seattle/ author: Tanya Basu article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-08-09T14:48:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:42:28.870Z article:section: Politics og:title: Black Lives Matter Protestors Storm Bernie Sanders Rally og:description: Three activists took the stage to mark the one-year anniversary of Ferguson. og:url: https://time.com/3989917/black-lives-matter-protest-bernie-sanders-seattle/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19acc6af87e5ed68/69885e6da988ca9c2d6b3d02/bernie-sanders-seattle-black-lives-matter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3907 og:image:height: 2198 og:image:alt: Bernie Sanders black lives matters seattle og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Black Lives Matter Protestors Storm Bernie Sanders Rally twitter:description: Three activists took the stage to mark the one-year anniversary of Ferguson. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt19acc6af87e5ed68/69885e6da988ca9c2d6b3d02/bernie-sanders-seattle-black-lives-matter.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Black Lives Matter Activists Disrupt Bernie Sanders Speech > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: Looking Back on Ferguson [Watch (HLS stream): Looking Back on Ferguson](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/dOcL4JYc.m3u8) (2:47)  _Published 2015-08-05. Mike Brown was killed one year ago. Here is a look back at the events that sparked national protests._  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Aug 9, 2015 2:48 PM UTC  Marissa Johnson, left, speaks as Mara Jacqueline Willaford stands with her and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., stands nearby as the two women take over the microphone at a rally on Aug. 8, 2015, in downtown Seattle. Marissa Johnson, left, speaks as Mara Jacqueline Willaford stands with her and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., stands nearby as the two women take over the microphone at a rally on Aug. 8, 2015, in downtown Seattle. Elaine Thompson—AP  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Aug 9, 2015 2:48 PM UTC **Correction appended, Aug. 9** Black Lives Matter activists interrupted Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a rally in Seattle, stopping the politician from speaking at the first of two engagements he attended on Saturday. The activists took over the rally at a city park, marking the anniversary of Social Security and Medicare, before Sanders could even speak, according to [The Hill](http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/250667-protesters-interrupt-bernie-sanders-rally). Two women and a man from a Seattle chapter of Black Lives Matter shoved Sanders aside, grabbed the microphone, and addressed the crowd. After some confusion, campaign officials allowed the group to take the stage for four and a half minutes to commemorate the four and a half hours Michael Brown lay in the streets of Ferguson, Mo., last year after being shot by a police officer. Sunday marks the [one year anniversary of Brown’s death](http://time.com/3987395/ferguson-michael-brown-shooting-anniversary/), which helped launch the Black Lives Matter movement and a national conversation to address police brutality. “Bernie says that he’s all about the people and about grassroots,” a protester identifying herself as Marissa Johnson, told the attendees. “The biggest grassroots movement in this country right now is Black Lives Matter.” Sanders [released a statement](https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-statement-on-seattle-protesters/) expressing his disappointment at not being able to speak at the rally. “I was especially disappointed because on criminal justice reform and the need to fight racism there is no other candidate for president who will fight harder than me,” he said. This isn’t the first time the Vermont senator—has clashed with Black Lives Matter protestors; at previous rallies, Sanders has previously said that “black lives matter, white lives matter, Hispanic lives matter,” drawing criticism from the Black Lives Matter movement. Activists from the movement have also interrupted [his rivals](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/activists-disrupt-forum-featuring-candidates-omalley-sanders/2015/07/18/ca64eb34-2d60-11e5-bd33-395c05608059%5Fstory.html) for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley. ### Ferguson Ignites With Violence After Grand Jury Decision  Law enforcement stands in full gear by tanks in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Protesters stand amid tear gas and smoke in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Barrett Emke for TIME  Riot policemen clash with protesters in Ferguson Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Alexey Furman—EPA  St. Louis County Police tactical team members open their reserve supply of tear gas to be fired as they take cover behind an armored truck on S. Florissant Avenue in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. David Carson—St Louis Post Dispatch/Polaris  Law enforcement responds to protestors in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A woman speaks into a megaphone during protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A man lies on the ground amid protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Police in riot gear tangle with a woman in front of emergency vehicles in Ferguson Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  A demonstrator puts his hands in the air amid protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A law enforcement officer pushes back protestors after they destroyed a police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Michael B. Thomas—AFP/Getty Images  Demonstrators attempt to push over a police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov, 24, 2014. Xinhua/Sipa  Cars burn at a car dealership as demonstrators protest the Grand Jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson over the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on No.v 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  A car burns on the street after a grand jury returned no indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Jim Young—Reuters  Protestors parade in the parking lot of a burning auto parts store in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Tannen Maury—EPA  A demonstrator walks down the street after getting tear gas in her face and attempting to cleanse her eyes in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  Patrick London surveys the damage at his fast food restaurant London's Wing House after it was looted during protests on Nov. 24, 2014. Barrett Emke for TIME  Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, covers her face while standing alongside other demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Police stand near a burned out police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Christian Gooden—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Polaris  A man stands by a burned out car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A Ferguson firefighter surveys rubble at a strip mall that was set on fire when rioting erupted following the grand jury announcement in the Michael Brown case on Nov. 25, 2014 in Ferguson, Mo. Scott Olson—Getty Images  A police officer holds her gun during clashes with protesters in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images **Correction:** The original version of this story misquoted Sanders’ statement about the “Black Lives Matter” movement in a June 24 [interview ](http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/24/417180805/bernie-sanders-walks-a-fine-line-on-gun-control)with NPR. 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