Protesters clash with evangelists and executives in Uptown

Before President Bill Clinton made a rousing two hour speech, protesters outside of the Democratic National Convention were stealing headlines.

For the fifth day straight, activists took to the streets of Uptown to voice their distrust and disappointment with the two party system and the corporations that support it. A few different rallies and protests were planned for the day by groups including Greenpeace and Occupy. But as most have been doing this week, activists from different groups joined each other in solidarity.

Greenpeace, Energy Action Coalition and other environmental activist groups met in front of Knight Theater, where Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers was speaking at an invite-only forum, to call on the Charlotte-based utility to drop all ties to right-wing legislative think-tank American Legislative Exchange Council.

…The march up and down Tryon Street was peaceful — as most in Charlotte have been this week and all summer. The only conflict that really arose was a humorous exchange at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets between some protesters and an evangelist.

He had a lot to say to the “pot-smoking perverts” contained about 20 feet from him and the rest of the crowd by police.

“Don’t get mad at me boy I didn’t give you that haircut,” he told one protester with a mowhawk.