A planned day of protests against President Donald Trump in cities across the nation has some fearing that the marches will be hijacked by violent anarchists – but organizers say they just want to peacefully demonstrate.
The organizers, a group called Refuse Fascism, have vowed to continue the protests ‘day and night’ in nearly two-dozen cities until their demand is met: the removal of Trump’s ‘regime’.
‘RefuseFascism.org has called for non-violent protests to begin on Saturday, November 4 in cities and towns across the country to raise the single demand: This Nightmare Must End: The Trump/Pence Regime Must Go!’ the group said in a statement on its website.
‘The plan is for these protests to continue every day until this demand is met,’ the statement continued.
Protest organizers Refuse Fascism have vowed to continue the protests ‘day and night’ in nearly two-dozen cities until their demand is met: the removal of Trump’s ‘regime’ (file photo)
Antifa protesters gather at the entrance of the ‘Boston Free Speech’ rally in August. A planned day of protests has raised fears of violence, but organizers say they will be non-violent
The group said it hoped to emulate a series of popular demonstrations in South Korea that began in October 2016, culminating in the impeachment of that country’s president months later in March.
Among the at least 22 cities where rallies are set to occur are Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.
‘Our protest must grow day after day and night after night—thousands becoming hundreds of thousands, and then millions—determined to act to put a stop to the grave danger that the Trump/Pence Regime poses to the world by demanding that this whole regime be removed from power,’ organizers wrote.
Far-right media outlets have breathlessly described the impending protests as the ‘antifa apocalypse’, issuing dire warnings that ‘antifa supersoldiers’ will terrorize the nation.
Far-right media outlets have breathlessly described the impending protests as the ‘antifa apocalypse’. Pictured: Antifa protesters in Salt Lake City last month
Antifa, short for anti-fascist, are a coalition of far-left radicals who advocate ‘direct action’ against their ideological opponents, who in the past have included outright neo-Nazis as well as Trump supporters.
Homeland Security and the FBI have deemed antifa ‘domestic terrorists’.
But one Refuse Facism organizer has scoffed at the idea that the November 4 protests will be marked by violence.
‘It’s absurd. Calling for a civil war?’ Andy Zee told the Washington Post. ‘Pick a date for a civil war? Honestly, what do you say to this?’
Zee described the goal of the demonstrations: ‘Impeachment, the 25th Amendment – they will determine the means and ways when it becomes clear there is a tremendous crisis of confidence.’
The organization is engaged with a broad coalition of groups, including the Revolutionary Communist Party.