Mastodon Twitter Instagram Youtube
Sep 21, 20

Sacramento, CA: Antifascists Stand Ground Against Multiple Vehicle Attacks

This past Monday, September 14th, comrades from across the greater Northern California area gathered to counter-protest Donald Trump’s visit to occupied Nisenan land, otherwise known as the California state capitol of Sacramento. This report documents police and fascist vehicular attacks that occurred, as well as how anti-fascist protesters fought back; seizing property, claiming the streets, and undermining police and racists’ legitimacy.

45 was staging a propaganda visit to one of his only enclaves of die-hard supporters in the state —supposedly here for a “FEMA press briefing” tied to the wildfires. We joined an already formed crowd of over 100 counter-protestors, organized by Sacramento based activist groups J.U.I.C.E. and Empact, at Ruth Inman Park around 10:30am. Shortly after, a march began towards McClellan Airport, where Trump was soon to be landing.

As the march reached the largest group of Trump supporters, we stopped and claimed the space of the street. Meanwhile, fascists were confined to the sidewalks on both sides, mouthing racist slurs at Black protesters, with no shortage of resistance.

Several anarchists at the front of the crowd unfurled a “Solidarity Means Attack” banner (pictured above), while others directed traffic. Protesters opened and closed one lane, only when cars associated with BLM needed to pass. This effectively shut down the network of Trump supporters, disconnecting those in vehicles from those on the sidewalks. While cops protected the airport and 45 as he arrived, and, disjointed racists stood around, a unified anti-fascist front held its ground in the street.

Some organizers then made the strategic decision to exit swiftly and take a more tactical position. Protesters moved around the corner, where militants dashed into the street and back, seizing flags and other hateful paraphernalia from fascist truck after fascist truck as they passed, disrupting the most unified caravan the Trump supporters had all day.

“This first car to approach us that day…definitely wasn’t surprising, seeing as that’s been the main method of right wing violence this whole summer during the George Floyd Uprisings. But getting hit felt incredibly surreal. You watch video after video of protesters getting injured, and some killed (Rest in Power Robert Forbes, Summer Taylor, Heather Heyer, and those unnamed). Yet it still doesn’t feel real until your legs are about to go over or under this car right in front of you. Then and now still, what shakes me to my core the most  was the clear intent. The driver obviously wanted to hurt me and the comrade beside me. We all know the political climate in America is fully fascistic at this point, but for me as a young person in the Bay in this movement, experiencing it for the first time was a gut check.”

Following the attack, comrades were joined by a car caravan, which protesters organized together to blockade the road. The energy at this point was mixed and conflicted, but morale was rapidly rebuilt by more successful snatch-and-grab efforts for Trump paraphernalia, which protesters later burnt. Energy continued to build after this first vehicular assault. It was clear to protesters that more defensive momentum was necessary. This militancy and unity rose organically among protestors, without any direct calls to action being made by organizers.

Share This:

More Like This