Net neutrality activists were dragged out of a news conference and threatened with arrest while protesting against the Federal Communications Commission.
The activists attempted to unfurl a banner claiming that “85 percent of Republican voters support Net neutrality,” as found last fall in a
Net neutrality protestors Commish Pai's anti-net neutrality press conference. #NetNeutrality pic.twitter.com/C3nuumrWrk
— Brooks Boliek (@technocowboy) February 10, 2015 " target="_blank">University of Delaware poll, when security guards stopped them and forced them out of the room.The protest came as Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, attacked a proposal by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to reclassify broadband Internet as a utility.
"The American people are being misled about President Obama's plan to regulate the Internet," Pai said. "Last week's carefully managed rollout was designed to downplay the plans of a massive intrusion in the Internet economy."
Internet activists Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese, of Popular Resistance, were dragged from the room by security after interrupting Pai’s comments.
“Commissioner Pai, don’t you see Republicans love net neutrality?” they shouted. “Stop being a mouthpiece for the telecoms – your job is to represent the public interest.”
“The Internet should be a level playing field for all not one rigged for Comcast and Verizon,” the activists continued shouting as they were forced from the conference room. “No crony capitalism for Comcast and Verizon. Equal access for all.”
Net neutrality protestors Commish Pai's anti-net neutrality press conference. #NetNeutrality pic.twitter.com/C3nuumrWrk
— Brooks Boliek (@technocowboy) February 10, 2015