AUGUST PROTEST ROUNDUP

Eileen Green, Sonia Agron, Michele Davidson

August, 13, 2017. One day after alt right, white supremacist groups organized a demonstration that turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia, injuring many and killing counter protestor, Heather Heyer. One day after President Trump refused to condemn the Nazi flags, Nazi chants and the racism and hatred on display in Charlottesville. On this day citizens across the US expressed their own outrage via peaceful vigils, marches and rallys from New York to Seattle. In New York City, RefuseFascism.org organized a “Take to the Streets” march from Columbus Circle to Trump Tower.” This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go! In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America,” posted on their face book page. 

Protesting NYC 

Three friends who stood side by side with me during the NYC Women’s March in January joined me at Columbus Circle with about 200 others to listen to speeches from representatives of Refuse Fascism and Black Lives Matter. We stood next to mothers and their children, young people and old people, all races, genders and one man wearing a yellow holocaust star badge with “Jude” printed on it, as nearby an angry guy held up a pro Trump sign. When one of the speakers announced he had just come from Charlottesville, his voice hoarse from protesting, we huddled closer to hear his report.

After speeches and well organized chants, we walked together down 59th Street, shouting “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA” as tourists and reporters snapped photos, street vendors looked up from grilling hot dogs and hansom cabs waited with their horse drawn carriages for us to stop interfering with their business. It was a short march to Fifth Avenue where we were stopped, prohibited from going beyond 58th street to Trump Tower.

Trump's racism is nothing new. White supremacists who glorify the legacy of slavery and who believe in the oppression of Black people have since been condemned by many including VA Governor Terry McAuliffe, Charlottesville mayor, Michael Signer and Republicans and Democrats alike.

Racist groups have no place in America. Racism is not patriotic. The alt right, white supremacists, Nazi’s must be stopped and stood up to. This is why we all gathered with Refuse Fascism today, to march and chant and hold up signs that said “You can’t repeal and replace Democracy” and “Denounce Domestic White Terrorism.” 

refusefascism.org

UPDATE: President Trump’s statements about the events in Charlottesville began as ambiguous. He initially failed to criticize the white supremacist’s violent behavior. A day later he read a carefully worded statement condemning hate groups, only to reverse himself again during a press conference where he made no distinction between the actions and beliefs of the Nazi’s, alt right and other racist groups and the counter protesters, blaming “both sides.”


Stand up against racism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and antisemitism with your voice, your creativity, and your presence. Let us all unite against all forms of hate. Speak up when you hear white nonsense. Call everything like you see it. We are in this together for the long haul.

- APHRA BEHN

Fifth Avenue - Opposite Trump Tower