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Indybay Feature

Large San Francisco Counter-Protest Overwhelms Tiny Ultra-Right Rally

by Bigots Forced to Flee
On Saturday, October 17, 2020, labor union members, anti-police brutality campaigners, advocates for release of prisoners affected by COVID-19, and leftists from Oakland and San Francisco came together to form a counter-demonstration against a rally of far-right demonstrators.
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Photos: Terry Scussel, Pro Bono Photo. Please credit the photographer.

It was clear from the start that the anti-fascist gathering far outnumbered the right-wing group assembled at United Nations Plaza in San Francisco. There were over 400 counter-protesters, versus 5-6 who came to support the white nationalist, misogynist, homophobic group.

“By standing united as queers, leftists, and working people we can stop the right-wing bigots before they grow into a mass movement” said auto mechanic assistant Norma Gallegos.

Kristina Lee, a museum worker, was proud to have played a part in organizing the contingent. “It’s important that so many people came out today. I felt like a lot of press and internet postings were sowing seeds of fear. Everyone here is standing up to that. As a Black, queer woman raised in the City, I know that we always need to come out against fascists. The more of us there are, the less dangerous they are.”

In spite of the blazing sun and 90-degree temperatures, a sense of camaraderie prevailed, with legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild making sure everyone had their emergency number, and volunteers sharing snacks and water.

Holding a sign that read “Capitalism is the problem – socialist feminism is the solution,” Freedom Socialist Party leader Nancy Reiko Kato said of the event, “We outnumbered the right. We out-organized the right. We are stronger than the right.”

One observer called the tiny rally "a complete failure." They said that only five to ten members of the extreme right-wing group showed up, and estimated they were met by at least 500 protestors who forced them to retreat from the stage, some throwing eggs and water bottles. The tiny group's extensive preparation included a rented stage with a lift and a sound system, but they had no audience other than the huge counter-protester contingent that drowned out their speakers with bull horn sirens.

An estimated one to two hundred riot police tried to keep the two groups apart with barricades and weapons, but the counter-protesters succeeded in forcing the right-wing bigots to flee. Police gave them a ride in a speeding SFPD van to the parking garage where the hate-mongers had parked. Once they were dropped off, the frightened fascists wasted no time, and sprinted to their cars.
§Smash Fascism
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Shield Trained Anti-Fascists
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Police with Weapons
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§United Nations Plaza
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Serious Weapons
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Face-off
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Stage and Equipment but No Audience
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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§Ultra-Right, Black and White
by Bigots Forced to Flee
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Speaker shown here Philip Anderson said he was surprised he could speak after losing teeth in the melee. Anderson had said in advertising the event that Enrique Tarrio, leader of the far-right group the Proud Boys, would be attending. But he and other ultra-rightists who were said to be coming, were no shows. Depending on who he was speaking to, Anderson alternatively said he was a Proud boy and "There are no Proud Boys here."
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by Bigots Begone
There was some confusion in early reports on Twitter and in mainstream media, both referring to the fascists as Proud Boys. Later reports said that Team Save America was the organizer of the ill-fated rally, and that members of Proud Boys were expected to come to support/speak but never showed. Probably figured coming to SF would only be coming to meet their doom.
by Retired Union Worker
As a participant of the counter protest to this attempt by the racist/fascist scum to spew their filth in San Francisco it was obvious from their music that they were standing behind the American flag (since the 2nd World War the bloodiest flying rag in the world that has bombed, murdered and terrorized the planet Earth continuously). They also were hiding behind religion which is always the shield of the oppressors' State and fronting for Trump an open racist/misogynist and anti-union scum. Trump has praised the "Proud Boys" and since he doesn't want to show-up in San Francisco he has them front for him and try to preach "free speech" as a cover. Don't forget that two working class men were shot and killed by a 17 year old racist/fascist scum (coddled by Trump) in Portland, Oregon last month when they were trying to express their free speech. Free speech to the racist/fascists is that of the KKK and Nazi's and the millions slaughtered by their efforts to eliminate free speech.
by Leon Kunstenaar
I'm not so sure this was a victory for the Left. When five trumpers can cause almost a thousand people to take to the streets by attempting a rally (which is legal), get hundreds of police mobilized and get some people injured, they feel powerful

Their goal is to subvert the election with provocation, division and conflict. I would have been happier if they had been ignored. Lets us choose the battles, not them.

Leon Kunstenaar
by from someone who was there
Philip Andersen the guy in last photo alternatively said he was and wasn't a Proud Boy. Depended on who he was talking to.
by One Struggle, Many Fronts
It is amazing anyone could survive the terrible 90 degree heat on Saturday, October 17, 2020 in downtown San Francisco. It is not a matter of who won; it is a matter of each of us doing what we can to stop fascism in the USA, which is a serious threat with Nazi Trump in the White House spewing forth his hate speech at his Superspreader rallies. Nazi Trump is refusing to quit as he has $1 billion in debts, according to Forbes (see https://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2020/10/16/donald-trump-has-at-least-1-billion-in-debt-more-than-twice-the-amount-he-suggested/#4dcbc0bf4330) which means he is using the presidency as a shield from foreclosure, and in the case of his tax case in New York, as a shield from going to jail, or at least having to pay his taxes or have his properties confiscated.

No one knew how many fascists would be so stupid as to show up in a city that voted 91% against Trump in 2016, and in a state, California, which voted 70% against Trump in 2016. That means however that 37,000 San Franciscans voted for Trump; 4 million Californians voted for Trump. We are literally facing death if Trump is installed in office on January 20, 2021 as he will certainly destroy Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, for starters.

In addition to protests of fascists, reminding everyone that there can be no free speech for hate speech as no one has a right to falsely yell fire in a crowded theater, it is also very inspiring that the Rochester, New York Labor Council has made the long overdue call for a general strike if Biden is not installed as president on January 20, 2021. See https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2020/10/14/18837563.php
We need EVERY SINGLE LABOR COUNCIL in this country to issue a call for a GENERAL STRIKE before January 20, 2021, so the ruling class knows that the election fraud and fascist terrorism must stop and Biden must be installed as president on January 20, 2021. This has nothing to do with Biden's record or the Democrats' record; it has to do with saving the lives of the workingclass so we can carry on the struggle.
by Robert Norse (rnorse3 [at] hotmail.com)
...the same number could show up to confront fascists in power--whether at the police stations, tICE, or any of the other fun agencies. Under Obama, Trump, and the future fuhrer (whether Trump or Biden), we'll be facing the same policies that have many times the impact of the alt-right groups.
by Interesting....
There was an arrest later in the day, described in the article in link here.
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