Demonstrators Protest Sinclair Station
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A group of protesters calling themselves the Free Speech Coalition showed up at Sinclair owned WJAR in Providence to voice their concerns about the company.
“Tell the truth. Tell the truth,″ shouted the protesters standing outside station.
“It is very frightening,″ said Patricia Ricci of Cranston.
“I am sure there are employees who want to speak up but they can’t,″ said retired state worker Louis Rainone, an organizer with the advocacy group, Jobs with Justice. “It’s unfortunate. But I understand. They’ve got jobs, good-paying jobs, too.”
“I am here to protest Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s attempt to muzzle what we think is free speech,″ said Scott Molloy, the retired University of Rhode Island labor-studies professor who appeared to be leading the protest by the newly formed “Free Speech Coalition.”
“What they are trying to do is use veteran, really beloved newscasters locally — some who have been here 30, 40 years — and force them ... to give the party line, and if they don’t, [risk] being fired and losing their pension.″
“This is an incipient form of brainwashing,” Molloy said.
WJAR nor Sinclair had any comment.
