June 18 Refuse Fascism Philadelphia started their contingent in this year’s Philadelphia Pride Parade, assembling as a group of five core organizers. On the basis of the message “NO! We Refuse to Accept a Fascist America – Drive out the Trump/Pence Regime” we grew 10 fold. The contingent was led by two trans-women who are key organizers of the local Refuse Fascism chapter and was comprised of mostly younger people (many of whom were high-school students) and even a buddhist organization that was flag dancing.
Pride parade viewers were consistently called on to join the Refuse Fascism Contingent. Marchers chanted, “Out of the closets and into the streets, drive out the fascist regime” and highlighted that driving out this regime isn’t a spectator sport. Dozens of people grabbed signs, stacks of stickers to distribute, fliers to pass around, and dragged family and friends in to march with us. As our banner and signs saying, “No! Drive Out the Trump/Pence Regime” over the new rainbow flag were held high for blocks you could not hear the contingents chants as thousands of viewers whistled, screamed, raised fists and drowned us out with support.
The most popular chants taken up by many spectators were “Say Yes to the No, the Trump Regime Has Got to Go” “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA” and “Trans Lives Matter.” Throughout various points prior to and during the march fists were raised and parts of the Call to Action were mic-checked. This was very powerful for many participants for whom this was their first political act. People were boldly recruited into the urgent movement to drive out this regime and were called upon to join us on July 15th.
At the end of the march, Pride participants were confronted with a group of Westboro wannabes – aka christian fascists – who spewed their hate towards LGBT people and women. Refuse Fascism blocked their bigoted messaging (Homo Sex is Sin) with our banner held aloft by the tallest supporters we could find. We led a defiant, determined, and courageous drowning-out through chanting, whistling, and the use of a siren. This parade was a significant launch for the July 15th action, modeling both the necessity and basis for mass refusal to the Trump/Pence fascist program. All out for July 15, saying NO! not just ourselves, but in the name of all of humanity.
