Asheville, NC: Action Report from Solidarity with Charlottesville, VA

On Sunday August 13th, a group of anarchists in Asheville organized a demonstration in honor of Heather Heyer and in solidarity with the anti-fascists who were on the streets in Charlottesville, VA. The rally began at Vance monument, a public reminder of the city’s white supremacist legacy that honors a Confederate general and slave owner, which also stands on the location of the historical slave auction site. An unrelated rally was organized simultaneously under the banner of “peace and love,” even suggesting lighting candles for the police who died in a helicopter crash.

Though there was communication beforehand, the organizers were unable to come to an agreement about how to share space. The crowd that showed up to rally was larger than anticipated. A clear division of groups arose as the anarchists and anti-fascists protested alongside liberals who anointed themselves as spokespeople for the whole crowd, leading traditional peace rally songs and giving endless speeches about how love trumps hate. The so-called peace vigil participants spent time policing the tactics of the anarchists and antifascists, claiming they had no right to express their solidarity.

A big fuck you to the cops and a big thank you to those who threw down this past weekend to resist white-supremacy and the ominous presence of fascism on so-called American territory. This was a spontaneous action that came together under 24 hours notice, and it was also the most successful action some have witnessed in Asheville in recent history. Asheville stands in solidarity with Charlottesville and everyone fighting for freedom from oppression, whether it comes from the state or the streets.

Rest in Power, Heather Heyer, we will carry you in our hearts and in the streets. Keep fighting, everyone!