Columbus, OH: Charlottesville Solidarity March

Organizers from the Columbus ISO, DSA and other formal groups called for a march in solidarity with the resistance in Charlottesville and to mourn the loss of Heather Heyer. Historically, marches put together by these organizations in Columbus have been peaceful sidewalk marches monitored by “marshals” or “peace police,” ensuring business as usual.

This rally began at 5pm at Goodale park. Approximately 700 people attended. There was an hour and a half of speakers, report backs from Charlottesville and open mics. Dialogue critiqued mostly Trump and Nazis but also white liberals (of which many were present) in city for their failures.

When the march began it was clear that although the plan was to march on the sidewalk from the park to the Statehouse, upwards of 700 people were much more interested in taking the street.

Led by a 15-20 person contingent of masked up folks and banners stating Become Ungovernable, Fascist Scum – Your Time Is Done, and Black Lives Matter, Columbus took things a step further during this march than it had in the past. “Fuck the Police! We don’t need em! All we want is total freedom!,” “KKK Live as a Police,” “Brick by Brick, Wall by Wall, We will Make the System fall!!” were all chanted through the downtown streets as marchers resisted the significant wall of bike and horse cops attempting to force them back to the sidewalk.

Upon arrival to the Statehouse, protesters took a moment of silence, laying down in the street and sidewalk, surrounded by police, for 7 minutes in solidarity with the 7 shots that murdered Phillando Castille. This was a 2nd attempt at this action. This was first attempted during Columbus Pride festival, where four queer people of color were brutalized and arrested.

Following the moment of silence, hundreds gathered on the steps of the statehouse where a candle-lit vigil was held.

Columbus could feel the tone of the march shift from the defensive to the offensive. A push in the direction towards the fight for total freedom!