Peaceful Boston free speech rally did not seem to have neo Nazis and White Supremacists; Protesters against bigotry and hatred outnumbered them ten to one
It was very heartening for me to note that Boston police and Boston city administration headed by mayor Marty Walsh (Democrat), ensured that dozens of free speech rally goers (mostly pro Trump, I guess) who may perhaps have numbered a hundred or so, and who did not seem to have any open white supremacists or neo Nazis among them, were able to hold their rally peacefully without being attacked by protesters who numbered in the tens of thousands. It was also very heartening for me to note that tens of thousands of people, mainly the afore mentioned protesters but may have included some of the free speech rally goers too, openly demonstrated against bigotry and hatred, and against white supremacy and neo Nazism, at the same time in Boston. Please note that I have visited Boston city many times in the second half of the 1980s and so there is some personal interest for me in seeing how Boston city of today is handling such matters.
I think at least some of the protesters/protest organizers, given last week's horrors in Charlottesville, Virginia, thought that neo Nazis and white supremacists may be participating in the free speech rally, and so their protest looked more like one against neo Nazis, white supremacists and fascists. The Boston police seemed to be out in great numbers and had put up a big buffer zone between the free speech rally and the protesters, thereby preventing any significant violence between the protesters and the rally goers. The Boston police and Boston city administration must be congratulated on this.
Unfortunately, some people did indulge in violence against the police (throwing rocks). From https://twitter.com/bostonpolice/status/898995186155626496, 19th Aug. 2017, "#UPDATE: #BPD confirming rocks being thrown at officers on Tremont at West." The reports are that these rocks were thrown by the protesters against the free speech rally. If the reports are true then such protesters must be condemned for their violence against Boston police.
Here's a video where Boston's mayor talks about events of the day: Boston mayor: Thanks for sharing message of love, not hate, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUHR-kp0YZg, 1 min. 19 secs.
Given below are the words of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (Democrat) from the above video (slightly edited):
Today in our city, there has been lot of work done, (for people) to be able to come in and to be able to protest, to be able to express themselves all the way from Roxbury community college, all the way to Boston Common. I was at Roxbury community college earlier. You just feel a sense of pride being there that people are going to come out and make a statement about how great we are in the city of Boston. So I want to thank all the people who came out today. I want to thank all the people who came out to share that love, that message of love not hate to fight back on racism, to fight back on anti-semitism, to fight back on the white supremacists that were coming to our city, on the Nazis who were coming to our city. I want to thank everyone who came here today. I want to thank eveybody who came here and expressed themselves in such a positive great manner today.
I also want to take a special moment to thank the members of not just the Boston police department but the .. police department, the state police as well as any other law enforcement authority, (ENC?), fire department for helping us. What people don't really understand is that many of the people we have here working today were ordered in to work. It was their day off. It was their Saturday. It was their weekend. But they came in here. They carried themselves with dignity. And I am proud of that work. I am proud of the fact that here in Boston we were able to have a very successful day.
--- end Boston Mayor Marty Walsh words ---
Here's a video of the Boston police chief, William Evans, talking about the events of the day: Boston police say they're happy with results of protest rally, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI5cbCKyy7A, 7 min. 47 secs.
I have transcribed below some of Evans' words from the video (slightly edited):
I think we have clearly seen we had both groups of demonstrators separated. And I think three groups of people came here today. ... There was obviously the group for, you know the one for free speech. We had those who opposed (them). And unfortunately, we did have people who came here to cause problems.
But overall I thought the men and women of our department and all the other agencies who helped us performed really well. You know, it was a long day, it was a hot day. And the separation worked well.
When we went to move them out there was a little bit of confrontation. I think you have seen public order platoons come out. That was the plan. As you know, I was hoping we wouldn't have to bring them out. But I thought they did a good job moving that crowd. That's what they are trained for. Sometimes it doesn't look pretty. But that's what they are trained for. .. I watched it - how it was done. And I thought they did a great job. I was witnessing bottles being thrown at them. I was seeing (stones?) and a lot of insults. But they held the line well and overall - again, everyone did a good job. 99.9 percent of the people here were for the right reasons and that's the fight - (against) bigotry and hate for the most part here today.
We knew we were going to have some people who were going to cause problems. And we had to make - the latest is 27 arrests so far today. Most of them, disorderly, a couple - assault battery(s) on police officers, and other charges. But overall I thought we got the first amendment people in. We got them out. .. No one got hurt. No one got killed and we don't really have a whole lot of ... In fact, we have no significant at all, property damage to the city. So great day for the city. And I am really impressed with probably forty thousand people out here, you know, standing tall against hatred and bigotry in our city. And that's a good feel.
---end part transcript of Boston police chief Evans' words ---
This link titled, "BPD Community Advisory for Events Scheduled for Saturday, August 19, 2017 on the Boston Common", http://bpdnews.com/news/2017/8/17/bpd-community-advisory-for-events-scheduled-for-saturday-august-19-2017-on-the-boston-common, dated 17th Aug. 2017, shows how Boston police put in a lot of restrictions on the free speech rally goers and other protesters/demonstrators which may have gone a long way in helping Boston police prevent significant violence even though tens of thousands (forty thousand according to Boston police chief) came to Boston mainly to protest white supremacy and neo Nazism, and bigotry and hatred.
Some extracts from the Boston police advisory note are given below:
Due to increased public safety concerns, those who plan on visiting the Boston Common on Saturday August 19, 2017, are strongly urged not to bring backpacks, large bags or strollers. For those who choose to bring these items, please be advised that they may be subject to search, and there will be no storage area designated to leave the belongings.
In order to provide a safe and peaceful environment, the Boston Police Department has determined certain items be prohibited from the Boston Common. Please see the list of prohibited items below:
The Boston Police Department expects all who will be attending events on the Boston Common to act respectfully and responsibly. The Department intends to provide a safe and peaceful opportunity for people to exercise their Constitutional rights. Violence or property damage of any kind will not be tolerated. Anyone engaging in illegal behavior is subject to arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
--- end extract from Boston police advisory note ---
Ravi: This is quite similar to how I think the Indian police try to prevent violence in such gatherings/rallies in India. The police in India put out lots of restrictions though not to this extent, I guess, unless it is a very dangerous situation.
These actions of Boston police vary a lot from what Charlottesville police did. But then Boston police have learned from the Charlottesville tragic incidents. Anyway, the message is clear. If towns and cities in USA have planned white supremacist and neo Nazi events, they should bring in the restrictions that Boston police did. That would severely reduce the ability of these white supremacists and neo Nazis to intimidate people or to engage in violence. I mean, if the police prohibit (and prevent) the guns, knives, "open flames" (flame torches) and poles & sticks from being brought by the white supremacists and neo Nazis to an event in a town/city, they would have drastically reduced the ability of these people to intimidate and to even engage in violence with others. It will have a similar effect on any Antifa activists coming for that event.
-----
USA President Trump tweeted, "Looks like many anti-police agitators in Boston. Police are looking tough and smart! Thank you.", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/898988632551370753, dated 19th Aug. 2017.
and
"Great job by all law enforcement officers and Boston Mayor @Marty_Walsh.", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/898990321387925504.
Ravi: I don't know whether there were "many" anti-police agitators but there were a few as confirmed by the Boston city police chief, and their actions have to be condemned.
Later tweets of President Trump were congratulatory to the protesters who spoke out against bigoty and hate. I have given those tweets below and I greatly appreciate these tweets (including above tweet congratulating Boston police & mayor) of President Trump - I 'liked' the tweets and retweeted them.
"Our great country has been divided for decades. Sometimes you need protest in order to heal, & we will heal, & be stronger than ever before!", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/899008381226299392.
"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!", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/899008521726861312.
----
The organization that seems to be one of the main organizers, if not the main organizer, of the Boston free speech rally, Free Speech Movement (@NFSMOfficial), put out this tweet on 16th Aug. 2017, https://twitter.com/NFSMOfficial/status/897931534472159232, which had a pic that advised participants that the (orgn.) denounces violence, and that the participants should not bring weapons of any kind, not antagonize any other groups and not antagonize law enforcement personnel. The pic also stated, "Our goal is to preserve the 1st amendment for all persons and provide a public forum for dialogue. We do not condone violence of any kind at our rallies and anyone engaging in violent or aggressive acts is not a member of our movement and will be reported to Law Enforcement as appropriate."
It also has a pinned tweet, https://twitter.com/NFSMOfficial/status/897575570552352768, dated 15th Aug. 2017, which has a press release pic about this rally (19th Aug. 2017). Some extracts from its press release are given below:
This Free Speech Movement is dedicated to peaceful rallies and are in no way affiliated with the Charlottesville rally on 8/12/17 [Ravi: 12th Aug. 2017].
While we maintain that every individual is entitled to their freedom of speech and defend that basic right, we will not be offering our platform to racism or bigotry. We denounce the politics of supremacy and violence. We denounce the actions, activities and tactics of the so-called Antifa movement. We denounce the normalization of political violence.
--- end extract from press release of NFSMOfficial ---
Ravi: I like the clear denunciation (condemnation) of (ethno) supremacy and violence by this group, and I also like its statement that it will not be offering its platform to bigotry and violence, and that they are in no way connected to the tragic and condemnable white supremacist and neo Nazi rally in Charlottesville in weekend of 12th Aug. 2017. But then this group seems to be rather unknown. So one does not know whether it is a front for some other groups, and whether this group is sincere in the statements made above.
Regarding the Antifa (USA) movement and violence associated with it: Given below are extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifa_(United_States):
Antifa is a far-left militant political movement of autonomous, self-described anti-fascist groups in the United States. The term is loosely used to refer to anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobia, as well as anarchist and anti-capitalist groups. Unlike the traditional left, the ambit of self-described antifa groups is to oppose fascism in direct action. These groups are usually anti-government and anti-capitalist, and their methodologies and tactics are more aggressively violent and anarchistic than those of associated groups in the far left.
According to The Economist, the "word Antifa has its roots in Anti-Fascist Action, a name taken up by European political movements in the 1930s" which was revived in the 1990s, particularly in Germany. Peter Beinart writes that "in the late ’80s, left-wing punk fans in the United States began following suit, though they initially called their groups Anti-Racist Action, on the theory that Americans would be more familiar with fighting racism than fascism." Antifa groups are known for militant protest tactics, including property damage and sometimes physical violence. Antifa focuses more on fighting far-right ideology than encouraging pro-left policy.
...
Antifa groups have most notably protested the 2016 election of Donald Trump. During the inauguration celebrations mask-wearing black bloc protestors "rage[d] across the area just outside" of the security perimeter, "smashing windows and burning cars."
According to Peter Beinart, Antifa activists "combat white supremacism not by trying to change government policy but through direct action. They try to publicly identify white supremacists and get them fired from their jobs and evicted from their apartments," in addition to "disrupt(ing) white-supremacist rallies, including by force."
...
Antifa counter protestors at the the far-right 2017 Unite the Right rally In Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017 "certainly used clubs and dyed liquids against the white supremacists." Journalist Adele Stan interviewed an Antifa protester at the rally who said that the sticks carried by Antifa protesters are a justifiable countermeasure to the fact that "the right has a goon squad." Some Antifa participants at the Charlottesville rally chanted that counter-protesters should "punch a Nazi in the mouth".
--- end wiki extracts on Antifa ---
Ravi: My view is that ideally, violence and intimidation from white supremacists and neo Nazis in the USA should be effectively countered by the police. Unfortunately, in Charlottesville on Friday 11th Aug. 2017, in front of a statue in University of Virginia campus, white supremacists and neo-Nazis seem to have threatened and intimidated the peaceful people there protesting against them (whom I refer to as counter-protesters). The police did not step in which seems to have made the situation worse. In such a scenario, according to accounts from these counter-protesters, the antifa stepped in to use violence to protect the counter-protesters from violence from the protesters who were mainly white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
So I find it difficult to condemn the defensive violence of the antifa to help protect the counter-protesters from the violence and intimidation of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville.
However, in Boston in this free speech rally on 19th Aug. 2017, if it was the antifa that indulged in throwing stones/rocks and bottles at the police who were ensuring law & order, then those antifa activists who indulged in that violence must be condemned. Note that there seems to be no reports at all of the free speech rally activists indulging in violence or intimidation towards those protesting against them or towards the police.
-----
Given below are some articles, some of which have embedded videos, on the Boston rally and protesters:
1) Scenes from the ‘Boston Free Speech’ rally and counterprotest, https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2017/08/19/free-speech-rally-and-counter-protest/o0YfQ3S21r7SZuR1FqLjpI/story.html.
2) Counterprotesters dwarf controversial rally in Boston, http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/19/us/boston-counterprotest-crowd-video-trnd/index.html, dated 20th Aug. 2017.
3)Thousands march in Boston in protest of controversial rally, http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/19/us/boston-free-speech-rally/index.html, dated 19th Aug. 2017
4) Thousands of Counter-Protesters March Against White Nationalism in Boston a Week After Charlottesville, http://time.com/4907681/boston-free-speech-rally-protests-charlottesville/
5) Boston free speech protests: Far-right demonstrators 'outnumbered 10 to 1 by anti-fascists', http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/boston-free-speech-rally-white-supremacists-counter-protesters-outnumbered-10-to-1-a7902526.html
6) Protesters Flood Streets, and Trump Offers a Measure of Praise, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/us/demonstration-race-free-speech-boston-charlottesville.html
-----
Ravi: I have visited Boston city many times in the second half of the 1980s. Some of these trips were actually to Logan airport, as I would be picking up or dropping off my Mumbai software company (Datamatics) colleagues for their flights from/to Mumbai, with me being similary picked up/dropped off a few times by other colleagues. But I have done some sightseeing as well in Boston and also made a couple or so of visits to the immigration office there when we had to extend our I-94 or something which was the USA immigration authorities permit for visitors like me to stay in the USA (different from USA visa). Once I was lucky to be called by a colleague of mine to join him to use two complimentary tickets given to him to watch the Boston Celtics basketball team at the Boston Garden (old stadium/arena). It was quite an exhilarating experience to watch the match in the stadium from the rather central positions that the complimentary tickets provided us.
During these many visits to Boston city in the second half of the 1980s, I don't recall even one single time when I was targeted for racism and hate. Yes, it was noted that I was different due to my skin colour being rather different from white or black. But that's it. No hatred directed at me due to my skin colour. I take this opportunity to thank the people of Boston city of those days for the decent way they treated me, a brown skinned foreign visitor to their city.
I am so very happy to note that Boston city continues to flourish as a no tolerance for bigotry and hatred city today as well. I am so very happy to see that tens of thousands of Americans peacefully demonstrated against bigotry and hatred in Boston city, which was made possible by the arrangements and discipline imposed by Boston police, Boston city administration and other governmental agencies. May God bless all those Americans who were in Boston city to demonstrate PEACEFULLY against bigotry and hatred. And may God bless the Boston police, Boston city administration and associated government agencies who ensured that these demonstrators could do that.
As an aside, here are some reminiscences about watching USA basketball on TV in those days. During those days Larry Bird, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Bird was the bigshot for the Boston Celtics. I recall Kevin McHale, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_McHale_(basketball) as another important player then for the Celtics. At the match that I went to, I think Larry Bird was not playing that day. But Kevin McHale was. Of course, we had watched many Boston Celtics games earlier on TV as they were doing quite well then in the NBA championships (but not well enough to beat the LA Lakers), if I recall correctly. The great rival to the Boston Celtics then were the Los Angeles (L.A.) Lakers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtics%E2%80%93Lakers_rivalry. The two names I am able to clearly recall of the L.A. Lakers team then are Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Some videos on it:
a) Larry Bird And The Legendary 86 Boston Celtics - Unselfish Basketball Tribute, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sFUBXO-JAg, 4 min. 55 secs.
b) Kevin McHale - Scoring Skills, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdtgUOiWHJg, 5 min. 58 secs.
c) Magic Johnson Ultimate Highlight Reel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3ThUlFiRF0, 4 min 25 secs.
d) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar top 10 plays, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM6xCirDOKs, 3 min. 21 secs.
[I thank Boston city mayor Matry Walsh, Boston police, its chief William Evans and wikipedia, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above part/full transcript of their remarks from the above videos and extracts from their websites, on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post deals with public safety and well being.]
I think at least some of the protesters/protest organizers, given last week's horrors in Charlottesville, Virginia, thought that neo Nazis and white supremacists may be participating in the free speech rally, and so their protest looked more like one against neo Nazis, white supremacists and fascists. The Boston police seemed to be out in great numbers and had put up a big buffer zone between the free speech rally and the protesters, thereby preventing any significant violence between the protesters and the rally goers. The Boston police and Boston city administration must be congratulated on this.
Unfortunately, some people did indulge in violence against the police (throwing rocks). From https://twitter.com/bostonpolice/status/898995186155626496, 19th Aug. 2017, "#UPDATE: #BPD confirming rocks being thrown at officers on Tremont at West." The reports are that these rocks were thrown by the protesters against the free speech rally. If the reports are true then such protesters must be condemned for their violence against Boston police.
Here's a video where Boston's mayor talks about events of the day: Boston mayor: Thanks for sharing message of love, not hate, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUHR-kp0YZg, 1 min. 19 secs.
Given below are the words of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh (Democrat) from the above video (slightly edited):
Today in our city, there has been lot of work done, (for people) to be able to come in and to be able to protest, to be able to express themselves all the way from Roxbury community college, all the way to Boston Common. I was at Roxbury community college earlier. You just feel a sense of pride being there that people are going to come out and make a statement about how great we are in the city of Boston. So I want to thank all the people who came out today. I want to thank all the people who came out to share that love, that message of love not hate to fight back on racism, to fight back on anti-semitism, to fight back on the white supremacists that were coming to our city, on the Nazis who were coming to our city. I want to thank everyone who came here today. I want to thank eveybody who came here and expressed themselves in such a positive great manner today.
I also want to take a special moment to thank the members of not just the Boston police department but the .. police department, the state police as well as any other law enforcement authority, (ENC?), fire department for helping us. What people don't really understand is that many of the people we have here working today were ordered in to work. It was their day off. It was their Saturday. It was their weekend. But they came in here. They carried themselves with dignity. And I am proud of that work. I am proud of the fact that here in Boston we were able to have a very successful day.
--- end Boston Mayor Marty Walsh words ---
Here's a video of the Boston police chief, William Evans, talking about the events of the day: Boston police say they're happy with results of protest rally, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI5cbCKyy7A, 7 min. 47 secs.
I have transcribed below some of Evans' words from the video (slightly edited):
I think we have clearly seen we had both groups of demonstrators separated. And I think three groups of people came here today. ... There was obviously the group for, you know the one for free speech. We had those who opposed (them). And unfortunately, we did have people who came here to cause problems.
But overall I thought the men and women of our department and all the other agencies who helped us performed really well. You know, it was a long day, it was a hot day. And the separation worked well.
When we went to move them out there was a little bit of confrontation. I think you have seen public order platoons come out. That was the plan. As you know, I was hoping we wouldn't have to bring them out. But I thought they did a good job moving that crowd. That's what they are trained for. Sometimes it doesn't look pretty. But that's what they are trained for. .. I watched it - how it was done. And I thought they did a great job. I was witnessing bottles being thrown at them. I was seeing (stones?) and a lot of insults. But they held the line well and overall - again, everyone did a good job. 99.9 percent of the people here were for the right reasons and that's the fight - (against) bigotry and hate for the most part here today.
We knew we were going to have some people who were going to cause problems. And we had to make - the latest is 27 arrests so far today. Most of them, disorderly, a couple - assault battery(s) on police officers, and other charges. But overall I thought we got the first amendment people in. We got them out. .. No one got hurt. No one got killed and we don't really have a whole lot of ... In fact, we have no significant at all, property damage to the city. So great day for the city. And I am really impressed with probably forty thousand people out here, you know, standing tall against hatred and bigotry in our city. And that's a good feel.
---end part transcript of Boston police chief Evans' words ---
This link titled, "BPD Community Advisory for Events Scheduled for Saturday, August 19, 2017 on the Boston Common", http://bpdnews.com/news/2017/8/17/bpd-community-advisory-for-events-scheduled-for-saturday-august-19-2017-on-the-boston-common, dated 17th Aug. 2017, shows how Boston police put in a lot of restrictions on the free speech rally goers and other protesters/demonstrators which may have gone a long way in helping Boston police prevent significant violence even though tens of thousands (forty thousand according to Boston police chief) came to Boston mainly to protest white supremacy and neo Nazism, and bigotry and hatred.
Some extracts from the Boston police advisory note are given below:
Due to increased public safety concerns, those who plan on visiting the Boston Common on Saturday August 19, 2017, are strongly urged not to bring backpacks, large bags or strollers. For those who choose to bring these items, please be advised that they may be subject to search, and there will be no storage area designated to leave the belongings.
In order to provide a safe and peaceful environment, the Boston Police Department has determined certain items be prohibited from the Boston Common. Please see the list of prohibited items below:
- Firearms, knives, weapons, sharp objects, shields or fireworks
- Pop up tents or canopies
- Cans, glass containers, pre-mixed beverages or alcoholic beverages
- Wagons or pull carts
- Coolers
- Drones
- Pets (excluding certified service animals)
- Grills, propane tanks or open flames
- Bicycles
- Flag poles, bats, clubs, sticks (including signs attached to sticks)
- Any athletic equipment or other item which could be used as a weapon
The Boston Police Department expects all who will be attending events on the Boston Common to act respectfully and responsibly. The Department intends to provide a safe and peaceful opportunity for people to exercise their Constitutional rights. Violence or property damage of any kind will not be tolerated. Anyone engaging in illegal behavior is subject to arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.
--- end extract from Boston police advisory note ---
Ravi: This is quite similar to how I think the Indian police try to prevent violence in such gatherings/rallies in India. The police in India put out lots of restrictions though not to this extent, I guess, unless it is a very dangerous situation.
These actions of Boston police vary a lot from what Charlottesville police did. But then Boston police have learned from the Charlottesville tragic incidents. Anyway, the message is clear. If towns and cities in USA have planned white supremacist and neo Nazi events, they should bring in the restrictions that Boston police did. That would severely reduce the ability of these white supremacists and neo Nazis to intimidate people or to engage in violence. I mean, if the police prohibit (and prevent) the guns, knives, "open flames" (flame torches) and poles & sticks from being brought by the white supremacists and neo Nazis to an event in a town/city, they would have drastically reduced the ability of these people to intimidate and to even engage in violence with others. It will have a similar effect on any Antifa activists coming for that event.
-----
USA President Trump tweeted, "Looks like many anti-police agitators in Boston. Police are looking tough and smart! Thank you.", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/898988632551370753, dated 19th Aug. 2017.
and
"Great job by all law enforcement officers and Boston Mayor @Marty_Walsh.", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/898990321387925504.
Ravi: I don't know whether there were "many" anti-police agitators but there were a few as confirmed by the Boston city police chief, and their actions have to be condemned.
Later tweets of President Trump were congratulatory to the protesters who spoke out against bigoty and hate. I have given those tweets below and I greatly appreciate these tweets (including above tweet congratulating Boston police & mayor) of President Trump - I 'liked' the tweets and retweeted them.
"Our great country has been divided for decades. Sometimes you need protest in order to heal, & we will heal, & be stronger than ever before!", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/899008381226299392.
"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!", https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/899008521726861312.
----
The organization that seems to be one of the main organizers, if not the main organizer, of the Boston free speech rally, Free Speech Movement (@NFSMOfficial), put out this tweet on 16th Aug. 2017, https://twitter.com/NFSMOfficial/status/897931534472159232, which had a pic that advised participants that the (orgn.) denounces violence, and that the participants should not bring weapons of any kind, not antagonize any other groups and not antagonize law enforcement personnel. The pic also stated, "Our goal is to preserve the 1st amendment for all persons and provide a public forum for dialogue. We do not condone violence of any kind at our rallies and anyone engaging in violent or aggressive acts is not a member of our movement and will be reported to Law Enforcement as appropriate."
It also has a pinned tweet, https://twitter.com/NFSMOfficial/status/897575570552352768, dated 15th Aug. 2017, which has a press release pic about this rally (19th Aug. 2017). Some extracts from its press release are given below:
This Free Speech Movement is dedicated to peaceful rallies and are in no way affiliated with the Charlottesville rally on 8/12/17 [Ravi: 12th Aug. 2017].
While we maintain that every individual is entitled to their freedom of speech and defend that basic right, we will not be offering our platform to racism or bigotry. We denounce the politics of supremacy and violence. We denounce the actions, activities and tactics of the so-called Antifa movement. We denounce the normalization of political violence.
--- end extract from press release of NFSMOfficial ---
Ravi: I like the clear denunciation (condemnation) of (ethno) supremacy and violence by this group, and I also like its statement that it will not be offering its platform to bigotry and violence, and that they are in no way connected to the tragic and condemnable white supremacist and neo Nazi rally in Charlottesville in weekend of 12th Aug. 2017. But then this group seems to be rather unknown. So one does not know whether it is a front for some other groups, and whether this group is sincere in the statements made above.
Regarding the Antifa (USA) movement and violence associated with it: Given below are extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifa_(United_States):
Antifa is a far-left militant political movement of autonomous, self-described anti-fascist groups in the United States. The term is loosely used to refer to anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobia, as well as anarchist and anti-capitalist groups. Unlike the traditional left, the ambit of self-described antifa groups is to oppose fascism in direct action. These groups are usually anti-government and anti-capitalist, and their methodologies and tactics are more aggressively violent and anarchistic than those of associated groups in the far left.
According to The Economist, the "word Antifa has its roots in Anti-Fascist Action, a name taken up by European political movements in the 1930s" which was revived in the 1990s, particularly in Germany. Peter Beinart writes that "in the late ’80s, left-wing punk fans in the United States began following suit, though they initially called their groups Anti-Racist Action, on the theory that Americans would be more familiar with fighting racism than fascism." Antifa groups are known for militant protest tactics, including property damage and sometimes physical violence. Antifa focuses more on fighting far-right ideology than encouraging pro-left policy.
...
Antifa groups have most notably protested the 2016 election of Donald Trump. During the inauguration celebrations mask-wearing black bloc protestors "rage[d] across the area just outside" of the security perimeter, "smashing windows and burning cars."
According to Peter Beinart, Antifa activists "combat white supremacism not by trying to change government policy but through direct action. They try to publicly identify white supremacists and get them fired from their jobs and evicted from their apartments," in addition to "disrupt(ing) white-supremacist rallies, including by force."
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Antifa counter protestors at the the far-right 2017 Unite the Right rally In Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017 "certainly used clubs and dyed liquids against the white supremacists." Journalist Adele Stan interviewed an Antifa protester at the rally who said that the sticks carried by Antifa protesters are a justifiable countermeasure to the fact that "the right has a goon squad." Some Antifa participants at the Charlottesville rally chanted that counter-protesters should "punch a Nazi in the mouth".
--- end wiki extracts on Antifa ---
Ravi: My view is that ideally, violence and intimidation from white supremacists and neo Nazis in the USA should be effectively countered by the police. Unfortunately, in Charlottesville on Friday 11th Aug. 2017, in front of a statue in University of Virginia campus, white supremacists and neo-Nazis seem to have threatened and intimidated the peaceful people there protesting against them (whom I refer to as counter-protesters). The police did not step in which seems to have made the situation worse. In such a scenario, according to accounts from these counter-protesters, the antifa stepped in to use violence to protect the counter-protesters from violence from the protesters who were mainly white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
So I find it difficult to condemn the defensive violence of the antifa to help protect the counter-protesters from the violence and intimidation of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville.
However, in Boston in this free speech rally on 19th Aug. 2017, if it was the antifa that indulged in throwing stones/rocks and bottles at the police who were ensuring law & order, then those antifa activists who indulged in that violence must be condemned. Note that there seems to be no reports at all of the free speech rally activists indulging in violence or intimidation towards those protesting against them or towards the police.
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Given below are some articles, some of which have embedded videos, on the Boston rally and protesters:
1) Scenes from the ‘Boston Free Speech’ rally and counterprotest, https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2017/08/19/free-speech-rally-and-counter-protest/o0YfQ3S21r7SZuR1FqLjpI/story.html.
2) Counterprotesters dwarf controversial rally in Boston, http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/19/us/boston-counterprotest-crowd-video-trnd/index.html, dated 20th Aug. 2017.
3)Thousands march in Boston in protest of controversial rally, http://edition.cnn.com/2017/08/19/us/boston-free-speech-rally/index.html, dated 19th Aug. 2017
4) Thousands of Counter-Protesters March Against White Nationalism in Boston a Week After Charlottesville, http://time.com/4907681/boston-free-speech-rally-protests-charlottesville/
5) Boston free speech protests: Far-right demonstrators 'outnumbered 10 to 1 by anti-fascists', http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/boston-free-speech-rally-white-supremacists-counter-protesters-outnumbered-10-to-1-a7902526.html
6) Protesters Flood Streets, and Trump Offers a Measure of Praise, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/us/demonstration-race-free-speech-boston-charlottesville.html
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Ravi: I have visited Boston city many times in the second half of the 1980s. Some of these trips were actually to Logan airport, as I would be picking up or dropping off my Mumbai software company (Datamatics) colleagues for their flights from/to Mumbai, with me being similary picked up/dropped off a few times by other colleagues. But I have done some sightseeing as well in Boston and also made a couple or so of visits to the immigration office there when we had to extend our I-94 or something which was the USA immigration authorities permit for visitors like me to stay in the USA (different from USA visa). Once I was lucky to be called by a colleague of mine to join him to use two complimentary tickets given to him to watch the Boston Celtics basketball team at the Boston Garden (old stadium/arena). It was quite an exhilarating experience to watch the match in the stadium from the rather central positions that the complimentary tickets provided us.
During these many visits to Boston city in the second half of the 1980s, I don't recall even one single time when I was targeted for racism and hate. Yes, it was noted that I was different due to my skin colour being rather different from white or black. But that's it. No hatred directed at me due to my skin colour. I take this opportunity to thank the people of Boston city of those days for the decent way they treated me, a brown skinned foreign visitor to their city.
I am so very happy to note that Boston city continues to flourish as a no tolerance for bigotry and hatred city today as well. I am so very happy to see that tens of thousands of Americans peacefully demonstrated against bigotry and hatred in Boston city, which was made possible by the arrangements and discipline imposed by Boston police, Boston city administration and other governmental agencies. May God bless all those Americans who were in Boston city to demonstrate PEACEFULLY against bigotry and hatred. And may God bless the Boston police, Boston city administration and associated government agencies who ensured that these demonstrators could do that.
As an aside, here are some reminiscences about watching USA basketball on TV in those days. During those days Larry Bird, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Bird was the bigshot for the Boston Celtics. I recall Kevin McHale, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_McHale_(basketball) as another important player then for the Celtics. At the match that I went to, I think Larry Bird was not playing that day. But Kevin McHale was. Of course, we had watched many Boston Celtics games earlier on TV as they were doing quite well then in the NBA championships (but not well enough to beat the LA Lakers), if I recall correctly. The great rival to the Boston Celtics then were the Los Angeles (L.A.) Lakers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtics%E2%80%93Lakers_rivalry. The two names I am able to clearly recall of the L.A. Lakers team then are Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Some videos on it:
a) Larry Bird And The Legendary 86 Boston Celtics - Unselfish Basketball Tribute, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sFUBXO-JAg, 4 min. 55 secs.
b) Kevin McHale - Scoring Skills, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdtgUOiWHJg, 5 min. 58 secs.
c) Magic Johnson Ultimate Highlight Reel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3ThUlFiRF0, 4 min 25 secs.
d) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar top 10 plays, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM6xCirDOKs, 3 min. 21 secs.
[I thank Boston city mayor Matry Walsh, Boston police, its chief William Evans and wikipedia, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above part/full transcript of their remarks from the above videos and extracts from their websites, on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post deals with public safety and well being.]
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