Milwaukee Antifascists completely shut down MAGA march

A member of the GDC told us of their Temple being shot up by a neo-Nazi a few years ago, and how they were ready to do whatever they could to defend the community against right wing threats.

On Saturday March 25th Trump supporters, called to action by Trump himself, attempted to have rallies across the country. In Milwaukee, Antifascists discovered a rally was planned for Noon at the lakefront Veterans Park. Their facebook event stated that they planned to first rally in the park, head south to the War Memorial to “pay respects” and then onward to City Hall. We only had around five days to mobilize and make a plan. We phone banked our people and were able to pull out around 100 people ready to oppose this “Make America Great Again March.”

Antifascists set the rally point for Juneau Park, up a hill and across a multi lane boulevard from Veterans Park. Taking the high ground and gathering in an area tucked away meant we were both able to use the element of surprise and to watch them gather below. The Trump rally was planned for Noon, so we gathered at 11am and had some time to hear from speakers about why we need to stand up to this “MAGA March.” Speakers shared their stories and experiences growing up as immigrants in America, watching their parents work hard to support their family only to face discrimination and White Supremacy. Organizers from General Defense Committee of the Milwaukee IWW, PODER, Young Peoples Resistance Committee, and Students for a Democratic Society spoke to the crowd and cemented our commitment to fighting this Regime and its supporters. A member of the GDC told us of their Temple being shot up by a neo-Nazi a few years ago, and how they were ready to do whatever they could to defend the community against right wing threats.

At around 11:40 we headed south through Juneau Park, across a street and into a small Plaza in front of the War Memorial where the Trumpists planned to speak. We hoped to meet them there, demoralize them, and prevent them from continuing on to City Hall. They didn’t even make it to the Memorial. While we waited, a few Antifascist Veterans condemned Trump, Capitalism, and the Imperialism of the United States. Queer and Trans Antifascists called for community self defense in our neighborhoods and reminded us that we need to have each others backs every day.

We made the decision to move on to their rally point to see if we could find any Trump supporters. We headed down the hill but no Trumpists were to be found. Antifascists had a good laugh. Along the way a few odd Trump supporters drove by yelled at us from their cars, but no one seemed to be gathering. Milwaukee Antifascists called it a day and headed home.

Our tactic worked, we were able to completely stop them from gathering at all by taking their rally points and showing up in superior numbers.

As we monitored their facebook page it became clear that the Trump supporters were extremely frustrated and upset. Some posted that they were in the park and that Antifascists were coming down the hill. Others lamented that they drove two hours and walked into an ambush. Our tactic worked, we were able to completely stop them from gathering at all by taking their rally points and showing up in superior numbers. We looked so scary that many Trump supporters didn’t even get out of their cars.

While we joke and enjoy our victory, we remember that the growing far-Right represents a serious threat. We remember the attack on our Fellow Worker Hex in Seattle, shot by a Trump supporter while standing against Alt-Right Fascist Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of Washington. Hex is a member of the IWW’s General Defense Committee and the Seattle General Membership Branch. This shooting serves as a grim reminder of the seriousness of our times. We wish Hex a speedy recovery and offer our solidarity.

We need to prevent the Trumpists ability to manifest in our public squares and demoralize them now while they are inexperienced and weak. If we were to allow 20 Trump supporters to gather today, 100 or 200 could take the streets next month. Trumpism must be smashed as a movement in the streets. Its right wing xenophobic populism opens the door to even more sinister ideas. White Nationalists, Fascists, and Nazis are recruiting and building in the ranks of the Trump supporters. We will continue to organize in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and schools for working class power, and we’ll use that power to fight bosses and fascists the whole way.

Death to Trumpism
Smash ICE
Defend the Community

-A member of General Defense Committee Local 19 of the Milwaukee IWW

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