Paul Ryan Visits Harlem: Protesters Rally Outside Charter School For Hours

HARLEM, NY - Protesters gathered outside Success Academy in Harlem Tuesday morning to voice their opposition of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.

The Republican congressman from Wisconsin will meet with Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz and take a tour of the charter school Tuesday afternoon. Ryan is not planning to visit PS 162, which shares a bulding with the charter school.

Protesters lined West 118th Street between Fifth Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard at 11 a.m. waiting for Ryan to arrive.

"I'm here because he put a bill that's not for the people in this community, that's not good for the children in this school," Velde Jeffrey told Patch.

Ryan eventually arrived at Success Academy around 2 p.m., much later than his anticipated arrival around noon. Ryan's motorcade came down the street and dropped the congressman off near a back door of Success Academy. Ryan went straight from the car into the building, ignoring the protesters who had been standing on the street for hours.

Once Ryan was inside the school, protesters called on him to come out of the building and face them.

After about one-and-a-half hours Ryan emerged from Success Academy, according to reports from the scene. When Ryan exited the building, protesters were still there waiting for him. Ryan was booed relentlessly as he entered an SUV, which shuttled him out of Harlem to friendlier turf.

The house speaker's visit to Harlem has been widely criticized by New York City politicians and Harlem community leaders.

"Paul Ryan’s appearance in Harlem today is nothing more than a photo op meant to distract us from the GOP’s agenda — which is to promote policies that benefit the wealthy and cut funding, resources and opportunities from the underserved in our communities," Michael A. Walrond, a pastor at First Corinthians Baptist Church told Patch in a statement.

"As he meets Harlem students today, he should take to heart what will happen to these children if their families lose lifesaving healthcare, and witness the real-world impact of decisions that ripple far beyond the halls of Congress."

Watch scenes from the protest below.

Photo by Patch