Fernando Cabrera (Photo: NYC Council)

This afternoon, Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera will be marching across the Brooklyn Bridge to ask Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Department of Education to reverse the upcoming ban on religious institutions  using public school buildings on weekends for meetings and worship.

“We stand firm on our position. Equal access for houses of worship makes New York City communities better. Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Education need to see just how many people are on this side
 of the debate,” Mr. Cabrera said in a statement announcing the March.

The ban on religious institutions using public school space is scheduled to take affect February 12. Mr. Cabrera, who is senior pastor of New Life Outreach International in the Bronx, was arrested earlier this month while committing an act of civil disobedience to protest the ban.

According to the statement announcing the March, Mr. Cabrera will be joined by several other local politicians including; two likely mayoral candidates, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Comptroller John Liu, Assemblymen Nelson Castro and Marcos Crespo, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. and Council members Tish James, Ydanis Rodriguez, Jumaane Williams, Peter Vallone and Margaret Chin. Mr. de Blasio's aide, Kirsten John Foy, a minister and potential Council candidate who has been one of the main organizers of the movement protesting the ban, will also be in attendance.

In addition to putting pressure on Mayor Bloomberg and the DOE, the marchers are also expressing support for bills currently pending in the State Legislature and City Council that would reverse the ban.