Unite the Right 2
Date | August 12, 2018 |
---|---|
Location | Washington, D.C., United States |
Theme |
|
Organized by | Jason Kessler |
Participants | 20–30 |
Part of a series on |
Antisemitism |
---|
Category |
The "Unite the Right 2" rally
Unlike the original Unite the Right rally (which ended in street clashes and a
The rally saw extremely low turnout, with only 20 to 30 of Kessler's supporters marching and thousands of counter-demonstrators amid a heavy police presence.[9] The rally was widely described as a "pathetic" and "embarrassing" failure.[10][11][12][13][14]
Background
Unite the Right rally
The first Unite the Right rally was a white supremacist rally that occurred in
In the aftermath of the violence, U.S. President Donald Trump's controversial remarks referring to "very fine people on both sides" and condemning "hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides" were perceived by many as implying moral equivalence between white supremacist marchers and those protesting against them.[20][27]
Commentator Ed Kilgore suggested that "by moving their act into quite literally the president's neighborhood, and setting the stage for more violence" the demonstrators sought "a fresh infusion of respectability from the politician so many of them regard as a
Attempt to schedule in Charlottesville
Kessler initially attempted to schedule a second rally in Charlottesville, but was denied a permit by the city in December 2017.
Rally
Plans and permits for demonstration and counter-demonstrations
On May 8, 2018, Kessler filed an application for a permit for the rally with the National Park Service (NPS), under the name White Civil Rights Rally.[33][34] After receiving initial approval in June 2018,[35] the NPS granted the permit for up to 400 people on August 10, 2018.[36][37][38][39][40][41]
Amid a fracturing of the alt-right movement,[42] a number of far-right individuals and groups who participated in the first Unite the Right rally—including Richard Spencer, the League of the South, Christopher Cantwell, Andrew Anglin, and militia groups—indicated that they would not attend the anniversary rally, having distanced themselves from Kessler, who holds "pariah status among his fellow racists."[43]
The NPS also approved permits for counter-demonstrations filed by New York
The companies Airbnb, Lyft, and Uber issued statements reaffirming the right of hosts and drivers to "refuse service to anyone who makes them uncomfortable or violates guidelines against discrimination."[44]
Authorities' preparation
In advance of the rally,
In making security plans for the event, the Washington Metro system floated plans to run separate trains for protestors and counter-demonstrators, in a bid to avoid violent clashes. Following an outcry from the public and from the Metro employees' union (ATU Local 689), who regarded the plans as special treatment for white nationalists, Metro dropped consideration of the idea.[45][46] However, on August 12, it was reported that Vienna Station had closed to the public, only allowing "Unite the Right 2" demonstrators, police, and press in (though they did reportedly stop at other stations and let the public in). The Metro was criticized by many, with people arguing that the service, as well as the police escort the "Unite the Right 2" demonstrators received, amounted to preferential treatment.[47]
Although no rally was scheduled to take place in Virginia—where the original rally took place one year earlier—the state's governor, Ralph Northam, declared a state of emergency, as smaller events were scheduled to take place in Charlottesville.[48][3]
Events
Ahead of the rally, Newsham "remained elusive when discussing ingress and egress plans" for the "Unite the Right 2" demonstrated and implied "that the means and route Kessler's group ultimately takes could and probably would change at the last minute."
The rally attracted thousands of counter-demonstrators, many of whom gathered at
The rally and counterdemonstrations ended without violence; there was one arrest stemming from a confrontation after the rally had ended.[9] In a separate incident, one man was charged with simple assault in Virginia after allegedly spitting on two Virginia State Police officers outside the Vienna Metro stop.[53]
Costs
According to a preliminary estimate prepared by the District of Columbia government, the District spent $2.6 million on costs related to the rally and the related counter-demonstrators. Almost all of the costs related to staffing and overtime for D.C. police. This cost estimate does not include expenditures incurred by other agencies (the
Reactions
Ahead of the rally, D.C. Mayor
See also
References
- ^ Barrouquere, Brett (June 20, 2018). "Jason Kessler applies for 'Unite the Right 2' rally permit in D.C." Hatewatch. Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ a b Shapira, Ian (August 10, 2018). "Inside Jason Kessler's Hate-Fueled Rise". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Weiland, Noah (August 11, 2018). "Before 'Unite the Right' Rally, Trump Does Not Condemn Supremacists". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Owen, Tess (August 11, 2018). "Unite the Right II: All The Protests In D.C. And Charlottesville This Weekend". Vice. Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ Segraves, Mark; Barnes, Sophia (August 8, 2018). "'Whatever We Need to Do': DC Police Hope to Keep White Supremacists, Counterdemonstrators Separate at Rallies". WRC-TV. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Heim, Joe; Armus, Teo (August 11, 2018). "Opposition groups organize to counter Sunday's planned white-supremacist rally". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
- ^ a b "Hospitals: 30 treated after Aug. 12 car attack". The Daily Progress. August 21, 2017. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
- ^ a b Heim, Joe (June 20, 2018). "'Unite the Right' organizer gets approval for rally anniversary event in D.C.". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Heim, Joe; Hermann, Peter; Stein, Perry; Lang, Marissa J. (August 12, 2018). "Anti-hate protesters far outnumber white supremacists as groups rally near White House". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019.
- ^ Lopez, German (August 12, 2018). "Unite the Right 2018 was a pathetic failure". Vox. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019.
- ^ Bovard, James (August 12, 2018). "Pathetic Unite the Right and angry Antifa sputter. There's still time to heed Rodney King". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 13, 2018.
- ^ Analysis Why 'Unite the Right' Rally Was a Pathetic Flop – and Why That Shouldn’t Matter Archived December 19, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Allison Kaplan Sommer, Haaretz, 13 August 2018
- ^ Rally by White Nationalists Was Over Almost Before It Began Archived December 28, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times, 12 August 2018
- GQ, 13 August 2018
- ^ Fausset, Richard; Feuer, Alan (August 13, 2017). "Far-Right Groups Surge Into National View In Charlottesville". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017.
- ^ "Charlottesville: One killed in violence over US far-right rally". BBC News. August 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 30, 2019.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Rosenthal, Brian M. (August 12, 2017). "Man Charged After White Nationalist Rally in Charlottesville Ends in Deadly Violence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Heim, Joe; Silverman, Ellie; Shapiro, T. Rees; Brown, Emma (August 13, 2017). "One dead as car strikes crowds amid protests of white nationalist gathering in Charlottesville; two police die in helicopter crash". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
- ^ Stapley, Garth (August 14, 2017). "'This is a huge victory.' Oakdale white supremacist revels after deadly Virginia clash". The Modesto Bee. Archived from the original on August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- ^ a b Thrush, Glenn; Haberman, Maggie (August 15, 2017). "Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017.
- ^ Green, Emma (August 15, 2017). "Why the Charlottesville Marchers Were Obsessed With Jews". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017.
- ^ Yan, Holly; Sayers, Devon M.; Almasy, Steve (August 14, 2017). "Charlottesville white nationalist rally: What we know". CNN. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
- ^ Bromwich, Jonah Engel; Blinder, Alan (August 13, 2017). "What We Know About James Alex Fields Jr., Driver Charged in Charlottesville Killing". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017.
- ^ Sullivan, Eileen (August 14, 2017). "Sessions Says 'Evil Attack' in Virginia Is Domestic Terrorism". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
- ^ Rankin, Sarah; Lavoie, Denise (June 27, 2018). "Federal hate crime charges filed in Charlottesville rally death". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019.
- ^ Associated Press; Duster, Chendelis R. (June 27, 2018). "Charlottesville driver Alex Fields Jr. faces hate crime charges one year after rally". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ Meriac, Dan (August 13, 2017). "Trump condemns 'hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides' in Charlottesville". CNN. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017.
- ^ Kilgore, Ed (August 6, 2018). "A Year After Charlottesville, Racists to Gather in Trump's Neighborhood". New York. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- NBC 29. March 21, 2018. Archivedfrom the original on January 14, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ Berg, Lauren (June 23, 2018). "Organizer of white nationalist rally asks judge to allow another event in August". The Daily Progress. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Hayes, Christal (July 24, 2018). "'This isn't the end': Jason Kessler unexpectedly gives up bid for anniversary rally in Charlottesville". USA Today.
- ^ "Charlottesville rally organizer drops lawsuit against city". Associated Press. August 3, 2018. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019.
- ^ Kessler, Jason (July 2018). "Kessler's Application" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ Tatum, Sophie (June 21, 2018). "Charlottesville rally organizer requests permit for 'white civil rights rally' in Washington". CNN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
- ^ a b Stuart, Courteney (August 8, 2018). "NPS issues final permits for counter-demonstrations in D.C." WHSV3. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hermann, Peter; Heim, Joe (August 9, 2018). "D.C. prepares for Sunday showdown between white supremacists and counterprotesters". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Unite the Right: Permit granted for Washington DC far-right rally". BBC News. August 9, 2018. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ Doubek, James (June 21, 2018). "'White Civil Rights Rally' Approved For D.C. In August". NPR. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ Haag, Matthew (June 21, 2018). "'White Civil Rights Rally' Planned Near White House by Charlottesville Organizer". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ Quander, Michael (June 20, 2018). "Charlottesville rally organizer requests permit for 'white civil rights' demonstration in D.C." USA Today. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
- ^ McWhirter, Cameron (August 8, 2018). "A Year After Charlottesville, the Alt-Right Movement Frays". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ Barrouquere, Brett (August 7, 2018). "As "Unite the Right 2" approaches, few big names expected for rally amid lots of questions about size, speakers". Hatewatch. Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ Silverstein, Jason (August 10, 2018). "Airbnb, Lyft, Uber allowing service to be denied to Unite the Right marchers". CBS News. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ Thebault, Reis; Powers, Martine; Armus, Teo (August 4, 2018). "Metro no longer considering separate trains for white nationalists attending 'Unite the Right' rally". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ A.W. (August 9, 2018). "How Washington DC's Metro should deal with white nationalists". The Economist. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ Lockhart, P.R. (August 12, 2018). "DC Metro criticized for how it handled white nationalists during Unite the Right". Vox.
- ^ Jacobo, Julia (August 9, 2018). "Virginia governor declares state of emergency for anniversary of Charlottesville protests". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ a b Gibson, Ginger; Landay, Jonathan (August 12, 2018). "Washington white nationalist rally sputters in sea of counterprotesters". Reuters. Archived from the original on January 26, 2019.
- ^ Allen, Bob (August 8, 2018). "Black, white Baptists to counter D.C. alt-right rally with prayer walk, communion". Baptist News Global. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
- ^ Selk, Avi (August 14, 2018). "Antifa protesters couldn't find any fascists at Unite the Right — and harassed the press instead". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ Williams, Jennifer (August 12, 2018). "Antifa clashes with police and journalists in Charlottesville and DC". Vox. Archived from the original on October 6, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
- ^ Cioffi, Chris (August 12, 2018). "1 arrested at Vienna Metro station for assaulting Virginia police". WTOP. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018.
- ^ Nirappil, Fenit (August 14, 2018). "White-supremacist rally cost D.C. at least $2.6 million, preliminary estimate shows". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019.
- ^ Pence, Mike (August 11, 2018). "Statement on Charlottesville". Retrieved August 12, 2018 – via Twitter.