Tag: peaceful protest

Posted on

Biden Urges Calm After 5 Memphis Police Charged With Murder

President Joe Biden (official White House photo by Cameron Smith)
Following the news that 5 former Memphis police officers had been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols, President Joe Biden issued a statement acknowledging the outrage many will feel but urging protests to remain peaceful. Continue reading “Biden Urges Calm After 5 Memphis Police Charged With Murder”

Posted on

US Park Police: It Was Mistake To Say ‘No Tear Gas’ Used At Lafayette Park

The U.S. Park Police on Friday attempted to parse its previous statement declaring it did not use tear gas on crowds near the White House Monday prior to Donald Trump’s photo opp in front of a nearby church. From Vox:

A US Park Police spokesperson said in an interview it was a “mistake” to insist in a statement on Tuesday that it didn’t use tear gas the day before in Lafayette Square to disperse a crowd ahead of President Trump’s photo op, explicitly noting that pepper balls shot by officials irritate the eyes and cause tears.

“The point is we admitted to using what we used,” Sgt. Eduardo Delgado said. “I think the term ‘tear gas’ doesn’t even matter anymore. It was a mistake on our part for using ‘tear gas’ because we just assumed people would think CS or CN,” two common forms of tear gas.

“I’m not going to say that pepper balls don’t irritate you,” Delgado said, noting they contain capsicum, an irritant derived from pepper plants. “I’m not saying it’s not a tear gas, but I’m just saying we use a pepper ball that shoots a powder.”

The original statement from acting Chief Gregory Monahan said that no tear gas was used by any federal force present, but that the Park Police itself “employed smoke canisters and pepper balls.” Pepper spray is a naturally derived chemical irritant that causes many effects similar to that of common types of tear gas, including temporary blindness and a burning sensation in the nose. At the end of the day, it becomes an issue of semantics. The authorities did fire irritating pepper spray and smoke grenades at peaceful protesters so that the Donald could have his awkward photo opp. Let me know if you think these non-violent protesters were fired upon in the video below.

Posted on

Rowan University Students Dance To Drown Out Anti-LGBTQ Hate Speech

The students at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, were not having it when demonstrators showed up on their campus holding anti-LGBTQ, anti-women and anti-Muslim signs.
Dancing to drown out the hate at Rowan University (screen capture)

The students at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, were not having it when demonstrators showed up on their campus holding anti-LGBTQ, anti-women and anti-Muslim signs.

According to the university’s online newspaper, The Whit, one of the signed held high read, “Warning: homos, whores, porno freaks…Muslims, drunks…obey Jesus or hellfire.”

Charming.

At the time, a social media post went out among students which claimed the demonstrators make their appearances on college campuses around the country in an attempt to make money.

The social media message implored the students not to engage:

“Dude so just so you know the thing happening is this group of guys who travel across the country to public college campuses and yell controversial things with the signs that they have, they do this to make money by hoping that students will get riled up and physically attack them, and then they can sue the students or even the school. They can also make money if the campus police or Glassboro police kick them off the campus; because this is censorship of freedom of speech of the first amendment, they can sue the school for a lot of [$$$]. They are con artists and scammers, don’t give them the time of day and spread this message.”

Note: There hasn’t been any evidence that confirms the anti-LGBTQ demonstrators were looking to have their appearance escalate to violence for financial gain.

It wasn’t long before hundreds of students showed up with their own signs and Pride flags forming their own, largely peaceful, protest.

One student, Elijah Olumakin, brought a speaker and music to try and distract from the demonstrators.

“I felt as though, to protest the poisonous words they’re trying to infect our minds with, we need to infect the heart with positive messages,” Olumakin told The Whit. “Whether you’re black, white, Spanish, Indian, broke, poor, gay, straight or non-binary, you love good music.”

The music led to dancing, and pretty soon the students turned the incident into a big party drowning out the hate speech.

Student government president Rbrey Singleton got on the mic at one point to congratulate the students for standing up to hate speech.

“I am so proud of everybody – we are stronger together,” Singleton told his peers. “We came out here, we stood up to hate. We’re going to keep turning our backs to hate.”

Later, in a message to the university community via email, Singleton praised the students writing, “You continue to amaze me every day by your strength and resilience.”

“We’ve been standing in the face of hate today, and many in our community have been standing against hate their entire lives,” he continued. “Let’s be bigger and turn our backs on hate. If we don’t give prejudice and bigotry our attention or power, it WILL leave. Let’s continue to spread love, inclusivity and pride everywhere we go, on and off campus.”

Rowan University President Ali Houshmand issued a statement emphasizing that, while freedom of expression is allowed at all times, hate speech has no place on campus.

“Rowan is obligated as a public institution to allow freedom of expression, but we do not endorse or condone hate speech in any form,” wrote Houshmand. “Rowan University is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all members of the community and rejects the abhorrent sentiments expressed by the protesters.”

According to the local ABC News affiliate, two students were arrested for throwing soda at the haters.

Posted on

#TakeAKnee Movement Spreads After Trump Attacks Pro Athletes For Silent Protest

After Donald Trump continued his attack on NFL players who choose to take a knee during the National Anthem, the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday morning announced they will not appear on the field until the ceremony has concluded.

Trump took to Twitter this morning saying owners of NFL teams should fire players who refuse to stand for the National Anthem in a silent protest of racism and injustice.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin broke the news to CBS: “We will not bow on the field. We’re not participating in the anthem today.”

“These are very divisive times for our country. For us, as a football team, it’s about us remaining solid. We are not going to be divided by anything said by anyone. That’s the thing that I posted to our guys. I said, ‘If you feel the need to do anything, I’m going to be supportive of that. As Americans, you have that right.’ But whatever we do, we’re gonna do 100 percent, we’re gonna do together. We’re not gonna let divisive times or divisive individuals affect our agenda. This collection of men, we’re chasing something here in 2017, and we’re not gonna play politics with football players, with football coaches.”

“We’re not participating in the anthem today. Not to be disrespectful to the anthem, to remove ourselves from the circumstance. People shouldn’t have to choose. If a guy wants to go about his normal business and participate in the anthem, he shouldn’t be forced to choose sides. If a guy feels the need to do something, he shouldn’t be separated from his teammate who chooses not to. So we’re not participating today. That’s our decision. We’re gonna be 100 percent. We came here to play a football game. That’s our intentions, and we’re going to play and play to win.”

And over in London, where the Jaguars and the Ravens are playing, players linked arms in solidarity.

This is quite moving to see these men stand together on principle.

And it got bigger from there. Via USAToday:

Several players from the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons were among those who chose not to stand for the anthem. The Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets stood with arms locked, though some players from those teams chose to kneel.

And now the movement has spread to Major League Baseball as the Oakland A’s catcher, Bruce Maxwell, became the first MLB player to take a knee. Note: Maxwell comes from a military family.

Posted on

Notre Dame Grads Walk Out On Vice President Pence’s Commencement Speech

At today’s graduation ceremony for Notre Dame’s class of 2017, dozens of students stood up and left as Vice President Pence began his commencement speech.

From USA Today:

This was not a surprise, but rather a staged protest some students had been planning for weeks. When Notre Dame announced that the vice president and former governor of Indiana would be the university’s 2017 graduation speaker in March, the student organization WeStaNDFor began brainstorming ways to take a stand.

Bryan Ricketts, who served as Notre Dame’s student body president from 2015-16 and graduated Sunday with a dual-degree in political science and chemical engineering, was one of the leaders. Ricketts told IndyStar that many of his peers were “upset and hurt” by the school’s decision to invite Pence because his “policies have impacted the humanity of certain graduates.”

WeStaNDFor explained in a release that they are primarily protesting Pence’s opposition to gay rights, his attempts as governor to prevent Syrian refugees from resettling in Indiana, his support of President Donald Trump’s immigration travel ban, and his opposition to sanctuary cities that do not enforce federal immigration laws.

The walkout was planned well in advance with leaders of the action, including consulting with the local police to find the most peaceful manner to make their statement.

The group posted instructions for how to walkout on their website:

The group even posted instructions on how to leave: “Walk away from Pence quietly, in confidence, with your head up high, taking your time. Embrace the moment, maybe even hold hands/lock arms with those joining you.”

Watch part of the walkout below.

Posted on

New York City: LGBT Solidarity Rally At Stonewall Inn Today

Thousands are attending an LGBT Solidarity Rally this afternoon organized by City Councilman Corey Johnson at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

The rally received responses from more than 36,000 people on its Facebook event page.

From the New Civil Rights Movement:

The rally, scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern, is backed by a coalition of more than 60 groups, including pro-immigration, refugee support and LGBT organizations. In addition to Johnson, it is being co-sponsored by dozens of other lawmakers including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“Join us in front of the Stonewall Inn as we stand in solidarity with every immigrant, asylum seeker, refugee and every person impacted by Donald Trump’s illegal, immoral, unconstitutional and un-American executive orders,” the Facebook page for the rally states. “We will also speak out against Trump’s selection of the most anti-LGBT nominees and appointees in modern history.”

As of Saturday afternoon, 11,000 people planned to attend the rally, with another 25,000 listed as “interested.”

The Guardian notes that the rally is being fueled in part by rumors this week that Trump planned to rescind President Barack Obama’s LGBT nondiscrimination order for contractors, or sign a new anti-LGBT “religious freedom” executive order.

Posted on

Mike Pence’s New Neighbors Fly Rainbow Flags In Peaceful Protest Of His Anti-LGBT Positions

Several of Vice President-elect Mike Pence’s neighbors in Washington, D.C. have begun flying rainbow flags in an effort to peacefully protest his now infamous anti-LGBT positions.

From CNN:

Until he moves into the Naval Observatory after taking office, the vice president-elect is renting a $6,000-a-month home in Chevy Chase, a swanky neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of the nation’s capital.

Some neighbors have put up rainbow flags since the Indiana governor moved in to protest what they call his anti-gay policy positions. The flag represents a symbol of pride in the LGBT community.

Roughly half-dozen pride flags are outside of homes on the block where Pence lives and neighbors say more are on the way.