The rally held in Huntington Beach, California, became outnumbered by counter-protesters and was deemed unlawful assembly.
What We Know:
- The far-right white supremacist rally was shut down by police less than two hours after it began on Sunday. The event was scheduled for one p.m, but counter-protesters had arrived two hours earlier. The counter-protests intended to ensure that the ‘White Lives Matter’ protesters didn’t feel welcome. A part of the opposing group associated themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement.
- After several arrests, the event was deemed ‘unlawful assembly’ by police at around 2:30 p.m. Those who were arrested were detained for a noise infraction and impeding an officer. Another counter-protester was arrested for alleged possession of a weapon. ‘White Lives Matter’ members of the protest reportedly arrived from all over the country. Residents near Huntington Beach found flyers promoting the Ku Klux Klan near their homes.
- Recently, ‘White Lives Matter’ sympathizers also held a rally outside Trump Tower in New York City. The rally saw a group of fewer than 20 people marching outside of the building. The rallies were all organized through Telegram, which is an encrypted messaging application.
- The Anti Defamation League reported that the slogan ‘White Lives Matter’ first came about in 2015 from Neo-Nazi and Ku Klux Klan groups. The slogan was deemed a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Huntington Beach city officials denounced the rally at a community meeting prior to the event, but they allowed it to take place anyway. A group called the Loyal White Knights of the KKK organized the rally.
‘White Lives Matter’ rallies across the country have proven to be unsuccessful after counter-protesters continue to stop them in their tracks.
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