WVTM 13 NEWS STARTS NOW. THOUSANDS CALLED FOR ACTION IN MONTGOMERY AFTER LAWMAKERS CHANGED THE VOTING MAPS. LESS THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE PRIMARY ELECTION. THANKS SO MUCH FOR STAYING UP WITH US AT 10:00, I’M TRAVIS ROBERTSON. POLITICAL LEADERS, ACTIVISTS AND VOTERS SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE LAST MINUTE CHANGES IN WHAT’S BEING CALLED A DAY OF ACTION. WVTM 13 ERIN LEWELLYN WENT DOWN TO MONTGOMERY, WHERE ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE SOUTH IN THIS REDISTRICTING FIGHT. THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY. WE’RE NOT GOING BACK. LETTING THE REST OF THE COUNTRY KNOW ALL ROADS LEAD RIGHT HERE. IT IS TIME FOR THE NORTH TO PULL UP TO THE SOUTH. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE STEPS OF THE ALABAMA STATE CAPITOL FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION BEFORE TUESDAY’S PRIMARY ELECTION. Y’ALL SOUND GOOD. OUR RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT MY 12 YEAR OLD GOT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED IN 1968. THIS IS THE CLOSEST WE’LL COME TO IT. UNFORTUNATELY, WE SHOULDN’T EVEN HAVE TO BE BACK HERE. BUT WE ARE BACK HERE RAISING THEIR VOICES. LET THE PREACHER SING AND EVEN SINGING THE SONGS OF FREEDOM, URGING PEOPLE TO STAY ENGAGED AS THE STATE’S LEGAL BATTLE OVER CONGRESSIONAL MAPS CONTINUES. I ONLY HAVE A YEAR UNTIL I CAN VOTE AND THIS THIS, EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON IS SO CRAZY THAT HONESTLY, WITH HOW IT’S GOING, I DON’T. IF I’M NOT HERE OR LIKE THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN, WHO KNOWS, I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE IN A YEAR. CONGRESSWOMAN TERRI SEWELL REPRESENTS ONE OF THE STATE’S MAJORITY-BLACK DISTRICTS, AND SHE SAYS SHE COULD LOSE HER SEAT DEPENDING ON WHICH MAPS ARE USED. SHE SAID SATURDAY’S EVENT WASN’T JUST A PROTEST, BUT A CALL TO ACTION AND A MOVEMENT. IT’S NOT ABOUT ONE STATE HOUSE OR ONE STATE. IT’S ABOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD IN THE HOUSES OF POWER. TENNESSEE CONGRESSMAN JUSTIN JONES CAME TO SHOW WHAT HE CALLS SOUTHERN SOLIDARITY, AND TO SEND THE MESSAGE ALABAMA IS NOT ALONE. WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED. WE WILL NOT GO BACK. BUT WE’RE NOT GOING TO YOU KNOW, WE’RE NOT GONNA ACCEPT THESE THINGS LYING DOWN. WE’RE GOING TO RISE UP AS A NEW MOVEMENT TO SAY THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. AND THIS IS OUR SELMA MONTGOMERY. TIME TO STAND UP FOR OUR PEOPLE. WITH MANY HOPING TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION TO KEEP PUSHING FOR CHANGE. IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’M LIKE, I TIME TRAVELED, HONESTLY. BUT IN GENERAL, I SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE HERE. BUT I’M GLAD I AM, SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL DO HAVE RIGHTS SO WE CAN HONOR OUR ANCESTORS