“You Don’t Speak for Me” — Rally Against White Nationalism & Authoritarianism
March 5th, 2:00-4:00pm EST
Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC
RSVP: http://www.dontspeak.me/rsvp
Written by Linsay Rousseau — Media Relations Director, Continue To Serve
The events that happened in Canada over the past few weeks have not only been concerning for a country known for its tolerance and liberal policies, but has served as a warning for what is coming to the U.S. and more specifically, the District of Columbia Beltway area. The protests in Ottawa shutdown supply chain routes, shuttered auto manufacturing plants and outraged local citizens. It’s no secret that the Freedom Convoy was buttressed by right wing U.S. media outlets and Congressional representatives, but the more stark revelation is the role American donors have played. According to leaked data of the donations on GiveSendGo, Americans accounted for 56% of the donor base ($3.62 million) while Canadians made up only 29% of all donors. It should be noted that much of that money has been seized by the Canadian government and a separate GoFundMe Page was shut down for violating its terms of use. Perhaps this is why fundraising for the upcoming U.S. convoy is being funneled through the right-wing, Christian nationalist American Foundation for Civil Liberties & Freedom organization. Make no mistake, in Canada, the participants in the convoy made up a minority of the trucker community and their anti-vaccine sentiments are out of touch with the majority of Canadians, according to numerous polls. The Canadian Trucking Alliance reports that over 90% of truckers are vaccinated. The Teamsters union, which represents truckers in Canada and the U.S., issued a statement denouncing the protest at the Canadian border, stating that it hurts workers and negatively impacts the economy.
In contrast to the Canadian protests, the impending patchwork of U.S. convoys look to be bringing more than just truckers outraged about COVID vaccines to the nation’s Capitol. Kip Coltrin, claiming to be the group’s lead organizer, put out a video calling on other groups to join in the protests, specifically naming the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers. Both organizations are known for their racist sentiments and propensity for violence. The FBI has laid charges against a number of members of the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers, including its leader, for their role in the January 6 insurrection.
Let’s break down what all this could mean for the District of Columbia. Obviously D.C. is no stranger to protests, but just how much could these white supremacists cost the city financially, environmentally, in terms of police response and in the potential for violence?
First, let’s look at the economics of the protest. According to a D.C. Capitol Police news release, the “Justice for J6” rally on September 18, 2021 cost roughly $1.3 million. Capitol Police requested aid from law enforcement agencies across the region, including D.C. police and departments in Northern Virginia and the Maryland suburbs, as well as the National Guard. The District’s Office of Budget and Performance Management estimated that local governments and the National Guard spent at least $792,500 to assist the Capitol Police that day. This does not include the response of Capitol Police or the cost of reinstalling the perimeter fencing. Additionally, the Department of Public Works spent about $19,700. Let’s also look at the 2018 “Unite the Right 2” neo-Nazi rally, held one year after the deadly Charlottesville white-supremacist rally. This cost the city roughly $2.6 million. While there is no official number for how many people could be participating in this upcoming convoy, it is probably safe to assume that there will be a similar mobilization to that on September 18th. And where is all this money coming from? Your hard earned tax dollars.
Now let’s dive into the potential environmental impact of having hundreds of trucks descend on the Beltway’s streets and highways. Trucks cause a significant amount of air pollution. In fact, idling trucks were such a concern, that the EPA’s 2016 greenhouse gas pollution rule book included a requirement to slash the particle emissions produced by the idling diesel engines of heavy duty trucks by as much as 95% by 2024. Scientists found that idling diesel trucks account for about 20 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the U.S. According to the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment, “motor vehicles are the largest source of emissions in the District.” In order to help combat this, they implemented a law to limit engine idling. “Motor vehicles powered by gasoline or diesel are not allowed to idle for more than three minutes while the vehicle is parked, stopped or standing. Any person or organization owning or operating a vehicle seen violating this regulation will be issued a civil infraction ticket for $500 for a first-time violation.” Perhaps if each one of those trucks is ticketed for idling, this could go to pay for the cost of the police mobilization.
And now, an examination of the potential police mobilization. In the District of Columbia, only 37.96% of the residents are white (2020 Census). You wouldn’t know that white people are the minority in the city, based on the contrasting police responses to the January 6th protests and the George Floyd protests. D.C. police made five times as many arrests during BLM protests than during the Capitol riot. According to a report from the D.C. Metropolitan Police department, 69 people were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the treasonous attack on the U.S. Capitol. A complete and utter failure of the D.C. police, which resulted in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling for the resignation of Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund. Compare this to the 194 protesters arrested during anti-racism protests following the police murder of George Floyd or the 234 arrested during Trump’s inauguration (according to a tabulation from Business Insider). Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, said the double standard in policing is "a long-standing issue of both covert and overt racism and how law enforcement reacts to protest. When Black people are protesting ... there's an over-militarization of communities. It was as though two sets of rules apply. One set for these [pro-Trump] protesters and another set for not just Black Lives Matter but also civil rights protests." In a press conference following the January 6th insurrection, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called on Congress to create a commission to understand the “catastrophic security failures” at the Capitol and ask “why the law enforcement response was stronger during the protests over the summer.” The difference in policing was so stark that it prompted former First Lady Michelle Obama to make a statement. "For those who call others unpatriotic for simply taking a knee in silent protest, for those who wonder why we need to be reminded that Black Lives Matter at all, yesterday made it painfully clear that certain Americans are, in fact, allowed to denigrate the flag and symbols of our nation. They've just got to look the right way."
And last but not least, let’s look at the potential for violence. If the events in Canada are any indication, these protestors could be coming armed for a fight. On February 14th, 11 people of the Freedom Convoy were arrested after an arsenal of guns were found by Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). According to an RCMP statement, “The group was said to have a willingness to use force against the police if any attempts were made to disrupt the blockade.” Police seized a large trove of weapons from three trucks at the illegal blockade, including 13 long guns, handguns, multiple seats of a body army, high capacity magazine, a machete and loads of ammunition. Four of those protestors were subsequently charged with conspiring to commit murder. And of course, we can’t forget the images of armed insurrectionists on January 6th. According to a database compiled by NPR, of the people charged with violent offenses, including assault on police officers, 15 were armed with deadly or dangerous weapons. Eight others facing civil disorder or property destruction charges also were charged with possessing weapons. Before and after the storming of the Capitol, NBC News reported that police seized a dozen firearms, including an assault rifle, thousands of rounds of ammunition, a crossbow, a stun gun and 11 Molotov cocktails, from seven people attending the rally. In an email sent to FactCheck.org, Asha Rangappa, an attorney and former FBI agent, wrote, “We will never know how many rioters might have been armed with guns on Jan. 6, because only some were arrested that day.” Apparently the FBI wasn’t overly concerned with stopping the armed insurrection. During a March 3rd joint hearing by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Jill Sanborn, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, stated that “we have not recovered any [firearms] on that day from any other arrests at the scene at this point. But I don’t want to speak on behalf of Metro and Capitol Police.” If we combine the lackadaisical approach of law enforcement towards white supremacists with the likelihood of the protestors being well armed and the protests taking place in a city where the majority of the residents aren’t white, the people of D.C. should be worried.
While the fight for D.C. statehood has stalled once again, the residents of this city must ask themselves, how much more are they willing to put up with and when is it time to take a stance and say “No”? Many of you are exhausted by the past five years, watching as our rights and our voices slowly crumble and fade away. But at some point, enough is enough. This city, the nation’s Capitol and the proverbial seat of democracy, is one of the most diverse in the country. It’s time to stand together and make it known that white supremacists, fascists and those trying to spread hatred and fear amongst communities of color and the nation at large, are not welcome.
“You Don’t Speak for Me” — Rally Against White Nationalism & Authoritarianism
March 5th, 2:00-4:00pm EST
Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC
RSVP: http://www.dontspeak.me/rsvp