From a Refuse Fascism activist in Houston
A Refuse Fascism contingent marched into the vigil at the children’s detention center at 419 Emancipation in Houston. This was not a vigil – people were not in the mood to vigil. People were pissed off and there was a lot of heartfelt desire to do something to stop this nightmare unfolding on immigrants and especially the children. People voiced their rage against the detention center, itself, and as a symbol of whole program of caging human beings–again, especially children.
It is estimated that 600 to 700 people surrounded the front of the detention center. Being behind barricades on the sidewalk in front, people were packed in and spread out, spilling over to two other corners across the street. Given that, different centers of protest developed, and the actual program was not heard by most people. Initially, there were a few people who spoke, including a couple of immigrant rights activists and clergy from the faith community. Many of them passionately exposed the horrors that are being rained down on immigrants and the demonizing of sections of people. An imam spoke to analogies between now and WWII when Japanese Americans were held in concentration camps and said never again. There were several other people slated to speak, including from Refuse Fascism, but then a section of the people took to the street and blocked the intersection for a short time. There was a brief confrontation with the mounted police pushing people out of the street. During a standoff with the police, people on all corners chanted “Let them go” “Close the Camps” “No borders, no nations, stop deportations”
The visual presence of RF is what stood out at the protest. As a new person with the chapter said: our group was the only unified presence that really showed up from a visual perspective. There were various church groups with matching shirts but no one else (that I noticed) had the visual impact with signage that we did.
In the beginning, a RF team snaked through the crowd. As one person got out the flyers, another person came behind getting out signs and collecting donations. 40 signs got out and $83 was raised. Hundreds of the RF flyer and call to action got out, and several people began immediately reading it. Some people took bundles, and at least one woman was actively distributing it through the crowd.
Many people wanted to know what RF had to say. People were angry and looking for answers. Several of them said that what they have been doing to stop all this hasn’t been working. Some other people said that they are sick of the Democrats. One woman said, just call them what they are – they are collaborators. The idea of getting into the street and not leaving until they’re gone hit a chord with people. As one person said, we have been protesting and things are still getting worse. References to Hong Kong intrigued many people. When some women (one of them was a Warren supporter) were asking about that, and why we say that we can’t rely on the democrats, a new RF member answered that – they can’t really [represent us] because the way the system is set up puts restraints on the politicians.
Organizing people into RF on the spot was challenging. Over 20 people signed up to join, but pulling people together to meet did not happen. During the protest, the RF contingent was chanting Close the camps, Trump/Pence must go. The part that people took up, which spread broadly was Close the camps. As we persisted with Trump/Pence must go, a few people joined in. Towards the end of the protest, some of the RF chapter went through the crowd agitating that stopping these attacks means driving out the Trump/Pence regime because the attacks on immigrants are a linchpin and battering ram for a whole fascist program, and called on people to join with RF in organizing sustained nonviolent mass political protest to demand Trump/Pence must go.
Also in Houston on July 12, a team of people got out Revolution newspaper. People, especially younger people were very interested that there was a tour organizing for an actual revolution and excited when they heard that’s who burnt the amerikkkan rag in front of the white house and at the border. People looked over the 5-2-6 with particular interest, and that there was an actual concreteness as to all this. Many agreed that the Democrats were no good, even as some thought at least Bernie might be a little better. Posing the whole world comes first and the crimes of both parties in that context had impact on that question, Many were aware of Obama as the deporter in chief. The whole world comes first really connected with a lot of youth.