More than 700 shut down rush hour traffic, occupy 2nd Avenue bridge in Detroit

Ministers among those to cite “Economic Emergency for the 99 Percent”

(DETROIT)- More than 700 people took over and shut down the city’s 2ndAvenue Bridge for more than an hour Thursday, in the strongest showing yet by Good Jobs Now to call attention to the region’s continued economic crisis and high unemployment rate.

Citing an “Economic Emergency for the 99 percent,” ministers joined residents from all walks of life in blocking traffic to and from the 2nd Avenue Bridge near I-94. The action was done as the Occupy movement’s National Day of Action staged protests and activities around the country.

“Detroit’s crisis is a jobs crisis,” said Rev. D. Alexander Bullock of Greater St. Matthews Church, who joined five other ministers for Thursday action. “I think we have to demonstrate how desperate the situation is. I think press conferences are fine, marches are great, but ultimately civil disobedience is the only way to non violently express your frustration over a failed government policy to put America back to work.”

Bullock was joined by Detroit Ministers Charles Williams, Anthony Johnson, William Revely, Maurice Rudds and Cheryl Williams, among others. They also highlighted potential Medicare and Medicaid cuts,
“Until we start seeing jobs here in Detroit, and until the economy starts working again for the 99%, we’re going to keep marching, keep protesting and keep taking direct action,” Williams said.

The effort is the latest in a series designed to call on Congress to pass the American Jobs Act.

U.S. Senate Republicans have twice filibustered parts of the American Jobs Act, a portion of which will invest $50 billion nationwide in projects to modernize our bridges, roads and transit systems. The plan includes an immediate investment of $901 million in Michigan that would create at least 11,700 jobs.

Residents returned to the 2nd Avenue Bridge because it is one of 1,437 structurally deficient bridges in need of repair---infrastructure work that would be the Jobs Act’s focus.