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Protesters fill Center City streets for Philly schools

Protesters are marching in Center City this afternoon to put pressure on city leaders and the School Reform Commission to fund Philadelphia's schools.

The protest, which involves the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools and other groups, began at 3:30 p.m. at the Comcast Center at 17th Street and JFK Boulevard.

The group was then marching to City Hall and the school district's headquarters on North Broad Street.

The protest was targeting Comcast to "demand corporations pay" a fair share, organizers said in an event description. The groups also want Mayor Michael Nutter and City Council to take emergency action to fund the schools, and are pushing the SRC -- which meets tonight at the district headquarters -- to "fight for funding instead of attacking teachers and school workers."

Philadelphia officials said last week that the city would borrow $50 million so schools in the cash-strapped district could open on time. Also last week, the SRC suspended part of the state school code, including parts affecting seniority rules.