Filed under: Action, Anti-fascist, Southeast, The State
The long touted “Mother of All Rallies” or MOAR, was aimed at bringing together upwards of 1 million Trump supporters out to Washington DC in support of Donald Trump. The event attracted several members of the Alt-Lite, including Jack Posobiec and Joey Gibson (who claimed onstage that antifascists were “attacking grandmas”), and a variety of neo-Nazi, Alt-Right, militia, and white nationalist groups and individuals. Neither Trump nor any elected officials attended the event. The rally itself ended up being a massive flop, bringing together only several hundred Trump supporters and was dwarfed in size to the much larger Juggalo March.
White supremacist tattoo on Illinois guy with "American Guard" at #MOAR. After I took this photo, guy flexed muscles to intimidate me. pic.twitter.com/XR02d3Dj4m
— Lacy MacAuley (@lacymacauley) September 16, 2017
Checking out the pro-Trump #moar rally on the Mall. Maybe 150 ppl, some III%er militia, Proud Boys turnout pic.twitter.com/yBjuJWQx4O
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
These 2 chuds from #MOAR tried to harass #DSA folks at the #juggalomarch today. Dude on the right was starting fights in charlottesville. pic.twitter.com/cmEMCVGl3o
— ?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️?☠️ (@anonops_nato) September 16, 2017
#MAGA muppet Jack Posobiec calls black pro-Trump livestreamer Will Johnson "BLM" because he's a dumb fuck and a racist and a hack. #MOAR pic.twitter.com/QDBDEUt2Hp
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) September 17, 2017
At one point during the rally, someone from Black Lives Matter (who had come to protest) was allowed to speak from the stage in an attempt to show just how committed to “free speech” the organizers were. However the BLM speaker roasted Trump, leading African-American pro-Trump livestreamer Will Johnson to then lead the crowd in chants of “USA! USA!” Alt-Lite troll and professional liar Jack Posobiec went on to claim over Twitter that William was in fact a part of BLM.
Trump #MOAR rally in DC: Oath Keepers & Three Percenter militia surround woman who objected to presence of white supremacists at the event pic.twitter.com/VKDNynIVAL
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) September 16, 2017
Trump rally on the Mall includes members of the American Guard — a group dubbed "hardcore white supremacists" by the ADL #moar pic.twitter.com/vcFJGF6d1W
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
In the wake of Charlottesville, rally organizers claimed that they were not going to allow any sort of racist, Alt-Right, neo-Nazi, or white nationalist groups to attend, however members of the Proud Boys and their ‘military division’ the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights (FOAK) were seen throughout the event along with other Alt-Right formations.
At #MOAR rally, this guy has "Aryan Terror" on his motorcycle helmet and racist symbol on his shirt. pic.twitter.com/uvQgIjpJtY
— Lacy MacAuley (@lacymacauley) September 16, 2017
Both the Proud Boys and FOAK have attempted to distance themselves from the Alt-Right after Charlottesville, despite the fact that members of both groups were out at the neo-Nazi ‘Unite the Right’ rally on August 12th which saw fascists attack unarmed students and also murder 32 year old antifascist, Heather Heyer. Jason Kessler, the lead organizer of the Unite the Right protest is a member of the Proud Boys, and members of FOAK also conducted security for neo-Nazi speakers.
Also seen at pro-Trump #MOAR rally in DC: flag of Anti-Communist Action (aka 'Anticom'), an openly fascist group involved in #UniteTheRight pic.twitter.com/PwAI9uyWLM
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) September 16, 2017
Other neo-Nazis and Alt-Right groups that were present at Unite the Right made an appearance at MOAR. This includes ‘Anti-Communist Action,’ a violent paramilitary like organization that mimics FOAK in their drive to attack and engage in violence against antifascists. In leaked Discord chat room discussions, Unicorn Riot has shown that members of Anti-Communist Action were also involved in the organizing of Unite the Right.
No alt right groups on the scene. Fringiest thing so far is this "anti-communist action" guy. pic.twitter.com/alF8Gzm4oM
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
'Mother Of All Rallies' (#MOAR) that called for 'millions' to come show support for Pres. Trump, seems to have pulled a crowd of 1-200 pic.twitter.com/jgRCraWdpd
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) September 16, 2017
Baked Alaska’s bodyguard, a member of the Oath Keepers who was also at Unite the Right, was in attendance at MOAR, as were a loose collection of Alt-Right trolls flying 4chan “Kekistan” flags, members of the American Guard, and members of the Aryan Terror Brigade.
"guilty of being white" shirt at the Trump rally pic.twitter.com/9nXdJAzaXq
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
Alt-Right neo-Nazi who was at #UniteTheRight at #MOAR https://t.co/zOO30AWADC
— It's Going Down (@IGD_News) September 17, 2017
Far-Right, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim militias like the 3%ers and Oath Keepers served as security. In past months, both militias have served as protection at a variety of “free speech” rallies, providing safety for white nationalist speakers and neo-Nazis, many of whom went on to appear at Unite the Right, such as Baked Alaska and Augustus Invictus.
Lots of III%er / Oath keeper militia types at #moar pic.twitter.com/2P0fmOEGf8
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
More overt neo-Nazi symbolism on display at pro-Trump #MOAR rally in DC pic.twitter.com/qcvjIucGzJ
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) September 16, 2017
The massive failure of MOAR, as well as continued inclusion of neo-Nazis and members of the Alt-Right in pro-Trump event shows two things. The first is that the ‘movement’ in support of Trump that began on March 4th seems to be winding down. The spam bots and basement trolls who circulate on social media and propel the Alt-Right and pro-Trump talking points forward has hit a wall and the bubble has burst. The ‘movement’ is cracking apart and support is drying up.
Today's pro-Trump #MOAR rally on National Mall in Washington, DC attended by 'Proud Boys' contingent bearing 4chan neo-nazi 'Kekistan' flag pic.twitter.com/kI0Tfk4HA8
— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) September 16, 2017
Moreover, as resistance to the Alt-Right and Trumpism has increased, the movement has turned towards both the militias, neo-Nazis, and the Alt-Right as allies and protection. While MOAR went out of its way to try and stop outright white supremacists from attending, the inclusion of Alt-Right groups such as the Proud Boys and FOAK from the outset only shows how insincere MOAR organizers are. The fact that other Alt-Right trolls and neo-Nazis showed up, making up a strong section of the base of public Trump support, only shows that the Deplorable ‘movement’ can’t distance itself from the Alt-Right no matter how hard it tries.
The Proud Boys contingent marches in with a "Kekistan" flag pic.twitter.com/XkRrMJAwJY
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 16, 2017
Live shots from the pro-Trump "Mother of All Rallies" going on in DC right now.
…Turns out bots can't rally. #MOAR pic.twitter.com/AO8nboy4pM
— Caroline Orr (@RVAwonk) September 16, 2017
Despite cloaking itself in pseudo working-class talking points about jobs and the economy, both Trumpism and Bannonism only seek to use the white working class to advance its agenda of tax cuts on the rich and corporations, attacks on regulations and unions, and continuing to move wealth out of the hands of the poor and workers and into the pockets of the elites. Trump hasn’t brought jobs back into the US, nor has he stopped them from leaving; his rhetoric is no different from other politicians and his inability to make good on his promises is causing his already weak base of support to continue to crack.
This man at #MOAR threatened to being me on a "helicopter ride" and mentioned Pinochet. Total #DeathThreat. pic.twitter.com/apubUjoUCc
— Lacy MacAuley (@lacymacauley) September 16, 2017