On November 7, the day after the midterm elections, and then on the following Saturday November 10, RefuseFascism.org staged actions in a dozen cities across the country to raise the demand:
Even with a Democratic House
We Must Be In the Streets
TO DEMAND AND DEMONSTRATE OUR DETERMINATION THAT:
IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY,
THE TRUMP/PENCE REGIME MUST GO!
In Los Angeles on November 10, at a moment when Trump was ratcheting up his dehumanization of and vicious threats against the caravan of desperate refugees, 100 people joined with Refuse Fascism to march through the Pico Union district, where the great majority of residents are from Mexico and Central America,. In an inspiring statement of standing with humanity against the whole fascist agenda, immigrant children voicing Presente! carried images of Jewish people recently killed by a fascist in the Pittsburgh synagogue.
In Seattle ShaCorrie Tunkara told how her husband was detained by ICE in January 2018, denied life-saving medical care while his condition deteriorated until he was finally released for surgery, and then deported in October to Sierra Leone, away from his family.
In New York City, on November 7 and November 10, 50-75 people marched and rallied in lower Manhattan – in Washington Square Park on the 10th, a high school student called out the collaboration of the Democrats: “When we say we want Trump/Pence out, they scream ‘bipartisanship… we don’t want a blue wave, we want a people wave because we want Trump out!’”
In San Francisco, representative from La Colectiva gave a defiant speech in Spanish which targeted fascism, and included as an important running theme: I did not want to leave my country, I am here because of the damage the United States has done to my country. Another speaker noted that this was the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when on November 9 and 10, 1938, thousands of marauding fascists organized and directed by Hitler destroyed hundreds of synagogues, trashed thousands of Jewish businesses and homes, brutalizing and terrorizing the entire population of Jews in Germany.
These were a different kind of protest. They brought together people from many experiences and perspectives, from all walks of life, unified by a declared determination to build a different kind of protest movement, one that refuses to get swept up in another election cycle that buys our silence and capitulation to fascism, and instead demonstrates our singular demand and determination that: NO! In the Name of Humanity, We REFUSE to Accept a Fascist America!”
See more photos and video including from other cities below and at the RefuseFascism.org Twitter feed.
Los Angeles
On November 10, over 100 people marched in the Pico Union district of Los Angeles (home to many Central American immigrants). It drew in people from nearby cities, rappers, Aztec Dancers, revolutionary communists, Refuse Fascism Faith Task Force members, and students from local colleges. Immigrant children voicing Presente! carried images of Jewish people recently killed by a fascist in the Pittsburgh synagogue.
Black faith-based civil rights proponents spoke from the stage about the immorality and danger of Trump’s attacks on immigrants, including the caravan from Central America, and the need for massive resistance to these assaults on immigrants as part of forging a force that can lead a struggle to remove this regime.
The march had dramatic impact in one of the most densely populated Central American communities in the country.
New York City
On November 7 and 10, 50-75 people rallied and marched with Refuse Fascism in lower Manhattan, impacting and connecting with shoppers, students, and people from all walks of life. On November 8, Refuse Fascism’s message was in the mix with thousands of people who rallied in Times Square against the firing of Sessions.
Above: Josh, high school student, Refuse Fascism organizer; Luan, Revolution Club; Emma, Refuse Fascism
Chicago
Coverage at Medill Reports included:
Approximately 50 people gathered in Federal Plaza Saturday afternoon to rally with activist group Refuse Fascism’s Chicago chapter in protest of Trump administration policies. During “In the Name of Humanity, Trump/Pence Must Go!” the group denounced the administration and urged people to speak out against what they see as the development of fascism in America.
After the rally, protesters marched to Trump Tower and gathered across the river from the building, carrying signs with slogans such as “This Nightmare Must End.”
…“It’s not a political game. …This is not red versus blue.”” said Ted Sirota, a member of Refuse Fascism Chicago. “We say at Refuse Fascism — Humanity First, not ‘America First.’”…
Read the article here
Seattle
In Seattle on November 7, students from Seattle University and from an alternative high school joined in and brought home made signs to a march through downtown. One woman marched with her walker and one man did the whole march in his wheelchair. A woman from Brazil came up to the protest downtown and talked about the same fascist things happening in her country, we encouraged her to share Refuse Fascism’s message in her country. A professor from an art school took fliers to give out in his classes.
On November 10, 75 people rallied and marched with Refuse Fascism in Seattle.The rally included a wide range of truth telling speakers including ShaCorrie Tunkara her husband was detained by ICE in January 2018, and he was denied life-saving medical care while his condition deteriorated until he was finally released for surgery and then deported in October to Sierra Leone, away from his family. An organizer for Refuse Fascism called on people to come talk to us about how to get involved and become organizers, which a few people did, young women.
Building for the action involved struggling with people. The Seattle chapter reported that “members of our core and others who are regularly participating are coming to understand that what is holding people back from acting in a commensurate way are real political differences in how people understand what we’re facing in terms of it being fascism, and what’s required of the people to stop it–that the solution doesn’t lay with those in power and the Democratic Party but the masses of people, and very importantly that we have to make the argument and struggle with people.”
And the report on the week of actions from the chapter noted that guidance from the Refuse Fascism website “and the process of doing these events together, along with comparing and contrasting what came from the stage at the MoveOn actions on Thursday, has really helped some people get more of an understanding and become more committed based on that understanding. Also, people are thinking more about the masses in their millions rather than a disproportionate focus on other organizations. We’ve been struggling with people and there are a number of people in the chapter now, from diverse perspectives, who are committed to going for it and being a backbone if the opportunity opened up to do day after day sustained protests. This is very important and it’s something I didn’t really see happening until I reflected on what has changed and developed. Our meetings are a lot of political discussion, and then planning the essentials and doing the rest of the planning through our email list serve, social media, signal group, phone calls to individuals. The regular outreach building for these protests got us closer and functioning as a team that is pacing itself but not resting.”
Houston
In Houston on November 7, 17 people gathered in the Montrose neighborhood making a big scene: someone dressed in a Trump costume holding a Trump piñata, and a banner that said, In the name of humanity we refuse to accept a fascist America.
The speaker from Refuse Fascism challenged people: “Two years ago, did you think you would accept tent cities – actually let’s call them what they are – concentration camps where children are being held indefinitely? Did you think you would accept the terrorizing and rounding up of immigrants by ICE and Homeland Security? Did you think you would accept a ban on Muslim refugees coming into the country to find safety or reunite with loved ones? Did you think you would accept state sanctioned discrimination against LGBT people? Did you think you would accept white supremacist rhetoric and mob violence being stoked in rally after rally by this president? Did you think you would accept attacks on the press and political opponents to the point where they are receiving pipe bombs? Did you think you would accept calls for the military to go to the border and shoot into crowds of refugees? Did you think you would accept the real possibility that Roe v. Wade will be overturned? I know you don’t want to accept these things. But this is what we have accepted while we have been waiting for these midterms. So I want to ask everyone here, do you want to accept these things, or do you refuse to accept them?
“We can see right now what a fascist America would look like. But whether people in this country are just going to fall in line like Good Germans, hide in their houses and make peace with this regime as it steamrolls over humanity, or whether we are going to stand up, millions of us who cannot stand what this regime is doing to people, and get in the streets and refuse to leave until this regime can no longer legitimately hold on to power, this is still the decisive question.”
San Francisco
In San Francisco, Refuses Fascism literally lit up the night at the Federal Building and City Hall, creating a scene and drawing press coverage. A DACA youth made a very heartfelt and defiant statement about the situation with the DACA students, linking it to the fascist regime.
On the 10th, Refuse Fascism rallied at the SF Embarcadero Plaza and then marched down Market St., to Powell and Market, where they held a speakout. A crew from La Colectiva was present, and their representative gave a defiant speech in Spanish which targeted fascism, and included as an important running theme: I did not want to leave my country, I am here because of the damage the United States has done to my country. Another speaker noted that this was the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, when on November 9 and 10, 1938, thousands of marauding fascists organized and directed by Hitler destroyed hundreds of synagogues, trashed thousands of Jewish businesses and homes, brutalizing and terrorizing the entire population of Jews in Germany. 30,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps, which became more and more a feature of German life. Kristallnacht set the stage for the genocide that began a few years after November, 1938. Germany in the 1930s was quite a different place than the U.S. in 2018. But there are disturbing similarities between then and now.
Philadelphia
In Philadelphia on November 7, people gathered in front of City Hall, gathered more people, took to the streets. On the 10th, about 40 people gathered at Independence Mall including several youth who met Refuse Fascism at the protest after Sessions’ firing. Bob Smith from Brandywine Peace Community exposed the crimes the U.S. is enabling against the people of Yemen and how this has gotten much worse under Trump. Another speaker called out the breadth of the fascist program – immigrants, LGBTQ people, women, the climate – and how she didn’t want to wait until her comfort and safety was threatened to speak up. Another speaker hit at the international rise of fascism, in particular with Duterte in the Philippines, and also to what it means to be raising young boys in this culture of fascism, what it means for young girls, and what kind of future she wants. Andrea from Refuse Fascism spoke about the fascist attacks on science. As people took to the streets, they were harassed by at least five vocal Trump supporters who were drowned out by chants.
Santa Ana, CA
Taking the pledge from Refuse Fascism (@RefuseFascism) We will not stand aside while there is still a chance to stop this regime! #HumanityFirst #TrumpPenceMustGo Join us this Saturday Nov 10 2pm @ Plaza Calle Cuatro to raise this demand! pic.twitter.com/S6CVpXDR52
— Connor Atwood 📢🌎 🚩 (@connor_atw) November 9, 2018
See more photos and video, including from other cities, at the RefuseFascism.org Twitter feed.
See media coverage here.