60k to Rally Against Hate in Boston
Massachusetts AFL-CIO organizing counter protest against white supremacist in Boston
The events inspired by this repost from the Massachusetts AFL-CIO will be dominating headlines this weekend. If you are in the region, do all you can to attend this very important counterprotest against white supremacy. The Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, who was the President of the Boston Metropolitan District Building Trades, said the other day that "We also have a message for the hate groups, especially any who are planning to come to our city this weekend: Boston does not welcome you here. Boston does not want you here. Boston rejects your message.’’ He did all that he could to prevent the gathering of bigots in his beautiful city. Thank you Marty for your strong words.
With the recent terrorist attacks in both Charlottesville and Barcelona I gave Phil Reason, one of the organizers of the event, a call and asked him what they are doing about safety. Phil told me that all the organizers are going through "strict safety training and it's their "top priority". I am paraphrasing our conversation, but basically, they're going to do their best to limit direct confrontation.
I then asked Phil a very tough question; with what happened in Barcelona aren’t you afraid that a van is going to run into your people? Phil said something that made me proud to be in this union movement:
We are not going to let these terrorists intimidate us. We are not afraid.
Below is what the Massachusetts AFL-CIO put out. I hope everyone who reads this from the region isn’t afraid either. Get your butts to Boston! -Kris LaGrange
MASS AFL-CIO: With you, I have watched with heartbreak the hateful and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville this week and the subsequent offensive and troubling reaction from President Trump. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO joins AFL-CIO President, Richard Trumka in condemning last Saturday’s act of domestic terrorism in Charlottesville. We mourn with the families and friends of Heather Heyer and state Troopers Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates. We call on President Trump to unequivocally reject white supremacy and racism.
Steven A. Tolman, President
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
There are two locations to meet up with union members at the counter protest planned for tomorrow.
- A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI) Union Contingent: APRI is an AFL-CIO constituency group named after the esteemed African American labor leader, A. Phillip Randolph. Look for the APRI signs across the street from the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center at 9:30am. The group will march together to Boston Common.
- Union brothers and sisters will also be meeting at 10am at the Roxbury Crossing T Station and will then join protesters who are marching from the Reggie Lewis Center to Boston Common.
For information on the full counter protest see the event on Facebook
