"Free" Speech rally next Saturday

[ceelove]

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE

Saturday appears to be sunny with a high chance of Nazis. Many more counter-protesters than "free speech" advocates, though. You may be searched for weapons if you go (I am relieved to learn).

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UPDATE: This event is a no-go! Many thousands of people expressed interest in counter-protesting, most of the speakers cancelled, and Mayor Walsh released a statement that the event was not welcome here.

I expect there will still be a rally against Nazis and white supremacist terrorism that day, and also there are related things like a "teach-in" (presumably about direct action and safer protesting) referenced in links in comments.

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Some of the same groups that fomented white supremacist hatred and terror in Charlottesville today will be in Boston next Saturday.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheNewRight/comments/6r4e3h/boston_free_speech_rally_august_19th/

(I'll be counter-demonstrating at noon, myself. Possibly with a sign saying either "Proud Race Traitor" or "Go back home to 1945" unless I determine it's more likely to get me killed.)

Comments

[justphoenix]

Thanks for the heads up

[sovay]

Some of the same groups that fomented white supremacist hatred and terror in Charlottesville today will be in Boston next Saturday.

Thanks for the alert. Now I have second thoughts about being out of town.

[siderea]

Possibly with a sign saying either "Proud Race Traitor" or "Go back home to 1945" unless I determine it's more likely to get me killed.

My wish is that the counter-protesters all show up with wordless signs, each one of which is a big poster-sized print of a photo of people from the ghettos, of the camps, of lynchings, of massacres, of any victims of genocide. I would love to see the Nazis surrounded by a somber, silent mass of people bearing the images of the murder victims of those they model themselves on.

Make them look their philosophy's victims in the eyes. Make everyone passing see what they are really proposing.

[ceelove]

I don't have good access to technology to create such a sign, but I hope you do it! Or if you create a banner, I can help you hold it up.

[ron_newman]

I see at least two counter-demonstrations planned on Facebook for Saturday, August 19. They will probably merge into a single event as the date approaches.

Block the Band Stand

Stand for Solidarity

[squirrelitude]

Any chance we can get their permit revoked?

I might attend in order to take photos of the nazis; try to crowdsource some IDs on them.

[ceelove]

I would contact the Mayor if you want to argue for their permit being revoked.

[squirrelitude]

Ah, and I just saw an email elsewhere with this clipping:

"The constitution protects free speech. But none are protected to incite viloence. Let Mayor Walsh know the people of Boston support him in revoking the permit for the white nationalist's "Free Speech" Rally at Boston Common Aug 19. This groups, clearly associated with violence & hate speech, puts all Bostonians at risks but especially POC, Muslims, immigrants and LGBTQI. Given the events in Charlottesville, the City of Boston has every reason to believe this event is an act of aggression and a potential domestic terrorist threat."

"Call 617-635-4500 or use 311.
Email, tweet, post. Share widely.
info@martywalsh.org"

[ceelove]

I called and was told that they're tallying calls, so yes, your call matters.

[squirrelitude]

I wonder if it might require concerted legal action, though, instead of a call-in campaign. See Waldo Jaquith's thread re: Charlottesville: https://twitter.com/waldojaquith/status/896511751189127168

Of course, presence or lack of such an action should not stop me from calling in, too. :-)

[ron_newman]

My understanding is that there is no permit to revoke.

[squirrelitude]

Yeah, I called in, and that's what they told me. They also said that the mayor is doing what he can to stop it from happening in any event.

[teko]

I see by the poster on the link that the featured guests are Augustus Invictus, a former Florida Senate candidate who admitted to killing a goat and drinking its blood, and Based Stickman, who keeps getting arrested for being extremely violent and inciting violence where he appears. I don't think this will go well.

[ceelove]

I don't think it will go much at all. Most speakers have cancelled, Mayor Walsh has released a statement that they are not welcome, and there are many thousands of people planning to counter-demonstrate.

[desireearmfeldt]

Event appears to be a go after all?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/08/16/city-officials-meet-with-organizers-rally-planned-for-saturday-boston/IMq2QR65LVRNI8Isv0QxnJ/story.html