An aerial view shows how 40,000 anti-fascist protesters vastly outnumbered a few dozen right-wing attendees at a ‘free speech’ rally in Boston on Saturday.
Thousands of counter-protesters descended upon the city to stand up against the event, which they thought could turn into a platform for racist propaganda.
Photos and video show how the opposing group completely dwarfed the rally attendants, as they circled Boston Common chanting anti-Nazi slogans and waving signs.
The small group of conservatives cut their event short an hour after it began, completely upstaged and outnumbered by the 40,000 anti-fascist protesters.
An aerial view shows how 40,000 anti-fascist protesters vastly outnumbered a few dozen right-wing attendees at a ‘free speech’ rally in Boston on Saturday
The small right-wing group huddled in a circle at the park as barricades fenced them off from the 40,000 counter-protesters who came to drown out their event
The thousands of counter-protesters descended upon the city to stand up against the event, which they thought could turn into a platform for racist propaganda
Around 1pm, the rally attendees cut the event short and were escorted by police away from the park. They were completely outnumbered by those who turned up to drown out the event
Counter-protesters chanted slogans, and waved signs that said: ‘Make Nazis Afraid Again,’ ‘Love your neighbor,’ ‘Resist fascism’ and ‘Hate never made U.S. great.’
Others carried a large banner that read: ‘SMASH WHITE SUPREMACY.’
President Donald Trump applauded the people in Boston who he said were ‘speaking out’ against bigotry and hate.
Trump added in a Twitter message that ‘Our country will soon come together as one!’
Saturday’s showdown in Boston was mostly peaceable, and after demonstrators dispersed, a picnic atmosphere took over with stragglers tossing beach balls, banging on bongo drums and playing reggae music.
Although the right-wing group hosting the rally publicly distanced itself from the violent and deadly Charlottesville rally last week, many feared it would attract alt-right group members.
The ‘free speech’ rally’s scheduled speakers included Kyle Chapman, a California activist who was arrested at a Berkeley rally earlier this year that turned violent, and Joe Biggs, formerly of the right-wing conspiracy site Infowars
An estimated crowd of 40,000 people march towards the Boston Common to protest the Boston Free Speech Rally
Although city officials had asked counter-protesters to stay away, saying their presence would draw more attention to the far-right activists, the group was later commended for standing up to hate and bigotry during the largely peaceful day
Determined to drown out hate speech, thousands upon thousands bombarded the city to ensure the day didn’t have the same tragic outcome as the Virginia rally.
Chris Hood, a free speech rally attendee said people were unfairly making it seem like the rally was going to be ‘a white supremacist Klan rally.’
Hood said: ‘That was never the intention We’ve only come here to promote free speech on college campuses, free speech on social media for conservative, right-wing speakers.
‘And we have no intention of violence.’
One of the planned speakers of the conservative activist rally said the event ‘fell apart.’
Congressional candidate Samson Racioppi, who was among several slated to speak, told WCVB-TV that he didn’t realize ‘how unplanned of an event it was going to be.’
Counter-protesters chanted slogans, and waved signs that said: ‘Make Nazis Afraid Again,’ ‘Love your neighbor,’ ‘Resist fascism’ and ‘Hate never made U.S. great’
Trump commended the Boston protesters on Saturday, tweeting: ‘I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!’
The president added: ‘Our great country has been divided for decades. Sometimes you need protest in order to heal, & we will heal, & be stronger than ever before!’
Rockeem Robinson, a youth counselor from Cambridge, said he joined the counterprotest to ‘show support for the black community and for all minority communities.’
Members of the Black Lives Matter movement held a protest on the Common, where a Confederate flag was burned and protesters pounded on the sides of a police vehicle.
Out of the thousands in attendance, 33 people were arrested following bottles of urine and rocks being thrown at police.
Although city officials had asked counter-protesters to stay away, saying their presence would draw more attention to the far-right activists, the group was later commended for standing up to hate and bigotry during the largely peaceful day.