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On Monday, 63 activists from across the country joined a Zoom to discuss how to “create a little chaos on the streets of Milwaukee” when thousands of GOP leaders flock to the city for the Republican National Convention from July 15–18. Those are the words of Tom Burke, the Freedom Road Socialist organizer who led the meeting and said when participants come across Republicans next month, they should “get in their faces.”
“It’s looking like Trump is going to win at this point,” said Burke, who the FBI investigated in 2010 for possible “material support of terrorism.” “But our protests can have an impact on things—we can really mess things up for these rich people, you know?”
Omar Flores, the spokesperson for the coalition of groups planning to protest the convention, March on RNC 2024, agreed that “it’s honestly not looking so hot for Biden” but said that’s all the more reason to turn out next month.
“Seeing that Trump might get in, people will know that they can look to us as the real opposition to the Republicans,” he said. “Until we actually defeat the Republican agenda, they’re going to feel scared to show their faces anywhere.”
A graduate philosophy student at Northwestern on the call asked for donations, saying that the coalition was going to need funds to buy a speaker system, print banners, and supply water bottles. In total, the group raised $845 by the time the more than 90-minute meeting wrapped.
Liz Rathburn, a trans woman who’s also part of a lawsuit against the City of Chicago that seeks to obtain permits for an anti-DNC march, told the meeting, “Since the Al-Aqsa Flood [as Hamas refers to the October 7 attack], we have stayed with Palestine, and we’re going to bring that same message to the reactionary Republicans.”
Olivia Reingold is a reporter for The Free Press. Read her piece, “I Went to Cover a Protest. I Was Surrounded by a Mob.”
Sadly, even if a Republican is attacked or killed nothing will happen, it is time to stand up and defend yourself without fear. The flip side of the coin is when a Republican does defend themselves, they'll likely be thrown in jail. It is really a sad day.
“Seeing that Trump might get in, people will know that they can look to us as the real opposition to the Republicans,” he said. “Until we actually defeat the Republican agenda, they’re going to feel scared to show their faces anywhere.” Oh really? May I suggest that your bully-tactics of silencing anyone you disagree with using fear, might be beginning to run its course? Bullys don't fare well in sunlight. Bullys don't fare well when being called out. Let's start calling you all out in the plain sunlight. You can speak, so can I.