Photos from inside the Protect Net Neutrality protests

Thousands gathered in front of Verizon stores

by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Michael Zelenko

Dec 8, 2017, 4:03 PM UTC

Yesterday, one week out from an FCC vote that will almost certainly decimate the open internet protections put in place during the Obama administration, thousands took to the streets. The protests were organized by Fight for the Future, a 10-person nonprofit dedicated to preserving the doctrine known as Net Neutrality, as well as Demand Progress, and Free Press Acton Fund. Protests were located in front of Verizon stores across the country. Verizon is one of a handful of large ISPs that is set to profit from the commission chairman Ajit Pai’s expected rollback.

Protests took place as far afield as Tampa, Florida, to Harrison, Arkansas, to Seattle, Washington. The Verge sent staff photographer Amelia Krales to document the protest in New York City’s Bryant Park.

Correction: The text has been tweaked to indicate that Demand Progress and Free Press Acton Fund also assisted in the organization of these protests.

Protestors chanted “Bye, bye Mr. Ajit Pai. Sold our future to Verizon and we don’t know why,” and “Let me be, FCC” in front of a Verizon store on 42nd Street in New York City to protest the proposals to end net neutrality.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Lauren King and a group of fellow graphic designers were among the crowd in front of a Verizon store on 42nd Street in New York City to protest the proposals to end net neutrality.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Students from Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech high schools protest the proposals to end net neutrality.

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Protestors gathered in front of a Verizon store on 42nd Street in New York to protest the proposals to end net neutrality. Photographer Johnathan Butts participated because “awareness is key, because everyone should know what’s to come.”

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Developer Anu Naik wore a shirt of her own design that said #NetNeutrality and #OnlineDemocracy while participating in a protest in front of a Verizon store on 42nd Street in New York City. “I do not want to lose access to the sites I love, I am a developer. I don’t want the Trump White House in control of information.”

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

“I think it really is an attack on our freedom of speech,” Diane Hoffman said of the threats against net neutrality. “I just [am] really afraid that if we lose net neutrality that’s gonna be another step down a very dark road.”

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

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