Little Rock, AR: Antifascist Report Back from the ‘Rally for Religious Liberty’

Various religious and community groups came together to rally for basic freedoms, only to be met by threats from KKK and neo-Nazi organizations. Local antifascists issue the following report.

The Satanic Temple’s infamous Baphomet statue made an appearance at the Arkansas State Capitol on August 16th from 1-3pm during “The Satanic Temple’s Rally for the First Amendment.” The rally was intended to bring together religious leaders of different faiths to discuss the importance of the First Amendment and its protection for religious pluralism as being essential to preserve democracy.

According to The Satanic Temple’s spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, “Freedom of Religion means that the government must not be allowed to endorse one religion over another or inhibit any religious voices from access to public forums in favor of another. By installing a Ten Commandments monument on their capitol grounds while rejecting other privately donated monuments of religious significance, the Arkansas State government has flagrantly violated a founding Constitutional principle, for which we call upon the people to rally with us to defend.”

Welp.

Greaves explains, “This isn’t a rally of secularists versus people of faith, Satanists versus Christians, or outsiders versus Arkansas. This is a rally for all people who hold sacred the founding Constitutional principles of Religious Freedom and Free Expression that have fallen under assault by irresponsible politicians like Senator Rapert. We welcome people of all backgrounds and religious beliefs to stand with us.”

Around 200 people of various faiths attended the rally in support of the First Amendment. Although, Billy Roper, founder of the small neo-Nazi group ShieldWall Network, promised another Charlottesville he was no where to be found. It seems Roper and most of his followers decided to stay home once they got word of antifa attending.

Pastor Thomas Robb, national leader of the Knight’s of the Ku Klux Klan, was able to rally up a handful of people to silently stand with him along with Harold Lynn Sadler and John Hanson of ShieldWall Network. Klan members in attendance included Tom Bowie and Andrew Pendergraft along with a brief appearance by mo-hawk boy and his girlfriend (pictured). The group stood silently through out the rally holding the Christian flag, Don’t Tread On Me flag and the Confederate Flag, while hiding behind about a dozen cops as usual.

When asked where ShieldWall Network was Robb responded by saying he has nothing to do with Billy Roper or ShieldWall Network. Though Roper is still claiming to have several SWN members in attendance passing out business cards and recruiting, 200 rally attendees have proven this false. Thomas Robb’s grandson, Andrew Pendergraft did attempt to pass out copies of the Klan publication “The Crusader” to other Christian and Catholic protesters he was met with “No, thanks”.

Antifa handed out one hundred “Nazi Watch” fliers to rally attendees with photos and names of known Nazis and even graciously gave one to Robb. When asked for a copy of their literature, we were turned down.

When Lucien Greaves was welcomed to the stage he gave Robb and his crew a shout out which was met by cheers and applause and no response from the the flabby old men.

“I feel I have to comment on the comic relief of these flabby old men who fashion themselves the master race. They may not be fine psychical specimens but they are not fine intellectual specimens either. Nor were they able to rally a good counter rally. I’m sure your mommy’s thought you were handsome little boys.”

The rally was an all around success with zero disruptions from the “master race.” It seems after doxxing Roper’s crew they were afraid to show their faces.

Further we would like to thank Billy Roper for promoting Central Arkansas Antifa and helping us connect with the community. We met and exchanged information with several new comrades who expressed interest in standing in solidarity to defeat fascism with us.

After the rally, antifascists were thanked for providing people in the community with information about local neo-Nazis and racists, and several people thanked us for attending and passing out fliers and expressed interest in helping us in the future.