#ShutItDownDC: Counter protesters vastly outnumber white supremacists at D.C. rally
Counter protestors, carrying signs and placards, arrived in the thousands.
On the one-year anniversary of the deadly racist rally in Charlottesville, Va., white supremacists descended on the nation’s capital to hold a “Unite The Right 2” rally, calling for “white civil rights.” Ummm…ok….
However, they weren’t exactly greeted with open arms in Washington, D.C., which is not surprising in the liberal, majority Black and immigrant area affectionately known as “Chocolate City.”
READ MORE: State of emergency declared in Charlottesville for anniversary of ‘Unite the Right’ rally
While the number of white supremacists was expected to be in the hundreds, the Washington Post reports that there were actually about two dozen when the 2-hour rally kicked off at 5:30 p.m. Counter protestors arrived in the thousands in an all-out effort to thwart the racists.
Wait they are having a Unite the Right (White Nationalists) Rally is DC. Marion Berry’s DC? Chocolate City? Ooooh boy.
Y’all better start having these rallies in Boise or Wyoming.
— Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) August 5, 2018
It was a far cry from last year’s rally in Charlottesville when scores far-right sympathizers and counter protesters clashed. The event culminated when a white supremacist drove his car into a group of counter protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Two Virginia State troopers also died when their helicopter crashed as they returned from the rally.
But on Sunday evening at the outset of the rally, thousands of tweets and videos by counter protesters showed how racists were shutdown.
READ MORE: Why is white fragility considered a reason for ‘a state of emergency’ in Charlottesville?
Top Tweets from #ShutItDownDC:
Washington Post transportation reporter Martine Powers captured video of counter protesters of all races being held back at the Foggy Bottom Metro Station:
Here are the protesters who were waiting for Kessler at Foggy Bottom station, separated by police that stopped them from getting closer than ~60feet from the #UniteTheRight white supremacist group. #ShutItDownDC pic.twitter.com/sZEd3NAdUd
— Martine Powers (@martinepowers) August 12, 2018
Marissa Lang, another Washington Post reporter, spied this pretty direct warning to racists:
Spotted a block away from the White House. #ShutItDownDC #UniteTheRight2 #DC pic.twitter.com/iqyl0E60sV
— Marissa J. Lang (@Marissa_Jae) August 12, 2018
Black Lives Matter Chimed in:
BLM works to exemplify the world we want to live in. A world of love where there is no white supremacy, where Black people are liberated and all people are free. #blacklivesmatter #ShutItDownDC #RiseUpFightBack
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) August 12, 2018
Karla Ann Cote has great photos from the counterprotests:
Hundreds of counterprotesters have gathered at Freedom Plaza to take a stand against fascism and white supremacy in America #ShutItDownDC #UniteTheRight2 #AllOutDC #UniteAgainstHate #DefendDC #A19 pic.twitter.com/wf4w2UCpUo
— Karla (@KarlaAnnCote) August 12, 2018
Journalist Shahed Ghoreishi tries to reason with one of the White Supremacists:
“I’m here for positivity” #ShutItDownDC pic.twitter.com/OCNtLjbfHV
— Shahed Ghoreishi (@shahedghoreishi) August 12, 2018
Kevin Blackistone, a former sports writer, ESPN panelist, and currently a professor at Merill College, catches the counter protesters turning a racist’s chant against them:
Whose park? Our park! #ShutitDownDC https://t.co/k2yTDEdFxX
— Kevin B. Blackistone (@ProfBlackistone) August 12, 2018
Stay tuned for updates…
