At March for Science in Princeton: ‘Evidence over ignorance’

More than 2,000 people participated in the March for Science in Princeton Saturday morning as people rallied in Washington, D.C. and hundreds of other cities in support of research and evidence-based policy.

Demonstrators in Princeton gathered on Hinds Plaza for more than an hour and listened to music and speeches before marching along Witherspoon Street and Nassau Street to Monument Hall. Former Princeton councilman Kevin Wilkes was the emcee for the Earth Day event.

Popular poster slogans included “The oceans are rising, and so are we”, “I love science” and “There is no Planet B.”

Princeton area residents participated in marches in Trenton, Doylestown, New York City, Washington, D.C. and other cities. About 1,000 people attended the Trenton March at the War Memorial, including former governor James Florio, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. and New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel.

“With the Trump administration attacking and attempting to intimidate scientists and professionals throughout our government, it is more important than ever that we stand up for science and the indispensable role it must play in making public policy. It is not acceptable to reject scientific findings simply because they do not fit into one’s narrow world view or ideological crusade,” Pallone said.

“We need to stand up for the environment and stand up for science. When you deny science, you deny our future. The attack on science is being done because of corporate polluters, Big Oil and Gas and coal companies. They want to keep the public in the dark about the impacts they have on our environment and public health, said. Tittel.

“President Trump has ordered the EPA not to use the term ‘climate change’ because he doesn’t want to do anything about it. He doesn’t care if homes are flooded, communities are destroyed, and people put in peril. By cutting the EPA budget and rolling back protections, he lives in a fantasy world. This is not a reality show, this is real,” said Tittel. “You can’t have alternative facts and you definitely cannot have alternative science. This is why we’re marching forward to move this country and our planet forward.”