RefuseFascism.org received this video which is circulating on social media:
Five protesters unfurled a 60 foot banner reading TRUMP/PENCE REGIME MUST GO! on LA’s 101 freeway on the morning of November 21. Rush hour freeway traffic was snarled and brought to a stop. The protesters broke through the normalization of fascism in the U.S. They were jailed, and after people mobilized to demand their release, they were let out of jail the next morning. Listen to the voices of those courageous protesters:
From people who blocked the 101 Freeway in LA:
One of the protesters who blocked the LA highway
“1000 people killed by police & the deportations. I refuse to accept a fascist America.”
pic.twitter.com/TzwVFfFfrp#TrumpPenceMustGo
— #TrumpPenceMustGo (@RefuseFascism) November 23, 2017
Why I held a 60 foot #TrumpPenceMustGo banner in the middle of the LA 101 Freeway
“The lives of millions around the world are at stake. I wanted to be part of something that communicates the urgency of what’s at stake.”
— #TrumpPenceMustGo (@RefuseFascism) November 23, 2017
Courageous protester who blocked freeway:
“If we don’t break the normalization, fascism will consolidate.”
— #TrumpPenceMustGo (@RefuseFascism) November 23, 2017
A Spectacular Action
Thank you to all the people from throughout the country and beyond who called the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center to demand the charges be dropped and they be set free. Late in the day on Wednesday, the City Attorney decided not to file charges against any of the volunteers…at least for now (the City Attorney has 1 year to decide)… and the protesters walked out of LA Metropolitan Court and were greeted by RefuseFascism.org activists who’d been at court demanding their release.
It’s very important people from around the country called the authorities to demand their release. The LAPD had kept the freeway protesters in jail overnight rather than release them on their own recognizance explicitly as ‘preventive detention.” While they were incarcerated, a number of police told the protesters they weren’t going to be set free because they may carry out another non-violent civil disobedience action and as punishment for carrying out this righteous act. The police also taunted the protesters from the moment they were arrested, referring especially to November 4 – the RefuseFascism.org call that began the movement “The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go.” Tuesday mornings freeway stoppage came in the wake of November 4, when 4000 people in 24 cities hit the streets demanding “This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!”
This was truly a spectacular action: 2.75+ million people have viewed Facebook live coverage:
https://www.facebook.com/
As the protesters held the banner TRUMP/PENCE MUST GO! on the 101 freeway, California Highway Patrol eventually got to the scene and at first unsuccessfully attempted to rip the 60 foot banner from the protesters. The protesters would not back down in the face of the cops efforts to intimidate them. An officer threatened a RefuseFascism.org volunteers with a taser stun gun, pointing the electroshock weapon at a protester. Then the CHP officer pulled out a knife and cut into the banner attempting to tear it up. The protesters still defiantly held up parts of the banner in the face of a vicious assault by the cops. Numerous LAPD and CHP cars then arrived on the 101 freeway, and the 5 brave volunteers continued chanting “Trump/Pence Must Go!” after being arrested and handcuffed. Some of the people in the cars were supportive, including yelling “resist, resist.” Some other cars outrageously tried to drive through the protesters, and even got out of their cars to physically assault the protesters. But the protesters were undeterred.
Check out the 5 protesters as they were released from custody: https://twitter.com/
This RefuseFascism.org action reflected the values of respect for all of humanity and the world we want – in stark contrast to the hate and bigotry of the Trump/Pence fascist regime. Michelle Xai of RefuseFascism.org said of the freeway action: “This is a clarion call to others to be part of making history. Let’s stand together with courage and conviction, overcoming fear and uncertainty, demonstrating that In The Name of Humanity, We REFUSE To Accept A Fascist America. The Trump/Pence regime pose a catastrophic danger to humanity and the planet. It is our responsibility to drive these fascists from power through non-violent protest.”