<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
  <channel>
    <title>kukluxklan &amp;mdash; Fight Back! News</title>
    <link>https://fightbacknews.org/tag:kukluxklan</link>
    <description>News and Views from the People&#39;s Struggle</description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2026 07:45:11 +0000</pubDate>
    <image>
      <url>https://i.snap.as/RZCOEKyz.png</url>
      <title>kukluxklan &amp;mdash; Fight Back! News</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/tag:kukluxklan</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Thousands square off against the Klan in Columbia, SC</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/thousands-square-against-klan-columbia-sc?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[![Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse.](https://i.snap.as/dOEPJwjL.jpg &#34;Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse. Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse.&#xD;&#xA; \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Columbia, SC – Facing sweltering heat, and in the face of a massive police presence, about 2000 protesters, including the New Black Panther Party, confronted a Ku Klux Klan rally on the grounds of the capitol building here, July 18. Snipers could be seen at the corner of every building top.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was rallying to allegedly defend the Confederate battle flag, upset that it had been removed from the capitol building in the wake of the racist massacre of nine attendees of the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina weeks earlier.&#xA;&#xA;At the KKK rally, speakers employed the tired old ‘heritage not hate’ argument for the Confederate flag - a symbol of racism that was used extensively by opponents of the Civil Rights movement. For their protection, the KIan was surrounded by a phalanx of state police, many in paramilitary gear. Midway through the event, participants in the Klan protest unfurled a giant swastika flag.&#xA;&#xA;About half of Klansmen were dressed street clothes, but another half seemed to be dressed in quasi-uniforms covered in Nazi symbols. As one of these wannabe storm troopers stepped to the edge of an elevated marble ledge and spewed racial epithets at the majority Black crowd, people below spontaneously begin chanting, “Jump! Jump! Jump!”&#xA;&#xA;Shortly after this, a man draped in the Confederate flag was seen walking through the counter-protesters loudly proclaiming, “This flag does not represent hate, it represents heritage. I’m not a racist, people died for this flag,” and so on. Several counter-protesters tried to explain the flaws in his argument, but he was hearing none of it. Later this flag was snatched from his body by a young Black man, who said, “We’re taking this shit back home to burn!”&#xA;&#xA;Shortly after that encounter, this reporter witnessed a cop, hanging from the side of a fast-moving State Law Enforcement Division SUV and dressed in battle fatigues, jump from the vehicle with what appeared to be a shotgun. He then chased an unarmed Black youth, who was able to escape.&#xA;&#xA;Police wound up escorting KKK and Nazi supporters to a parking garage. Counter-protesters followed and continued to express their disdain for the racist groups.&#xA;&#xA;Despite the thick police guard, at least one counter-protester managed to get a jaw-busting punch through to a retreating KKK member. The counter-protester was dragged away by police immediately, and indiscriminate arrests began. Small scuffles and rock throwing took place.&#xA;&#xA;Despite some challenges, the counter protest was absolutely successful, forcing the KKK’s rally to end an hour early. Counter protester Phil Davis of Columbia said, “The fascists were weak today, very weak. The progressives and revolutionaries outnumbered them by hundreds, and they were resoundingly defeated, and let’s hope they don’t come back.”&#xA;&#xA;![Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC.](https://i.snap.as/8TJPcpnR.jpg &#34;Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC. Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC.&#xD;&#xA; \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#ColumbiaSC #PeoplesStruggles #AntiRacism #KuKluxKlan #KKK #SouthCarolina&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/dOEPJwjL.jpg" alt="Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse." title="Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse. Thousands protest KKK at Columbia, SC Statehouse.
 \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Columbia, SC – Facing sweltering heat, and in the face of a massive police presence, about 2000 protesters, including the New Black Panther Party, confronted a Ku Klux Klan rally on the grounds of the capitol building here, July 18. Snipers could be seen at the corner of every building top.</p>



<p>The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was rallying to allegedly defend the Confederate battle flag, upset that it had been removed from the capitol building in the wake of the racist massacre of nine attendees of the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, South Carolina weeks earlier.</p>

<p>At the KKK rally, speakers employed the tired old ‘heritage not hate’ argument for the Confederate flag – a symbol of racism that was used extensively by opponents of the Civil Rights movement. For their protection, the KIan was surrounded by a phalanx of state police, many in paramilitary gear. Midway through the event, participants in the Klan protest unfurled a giant swastika flag.</p>

<p>About half of Klansmen were dressed street clothes, but another half seemed to be dressed in quasi-uniforms covered in Nazi symbols. As one of these wannabe storm troopers stepped to the edge of an elevated marble ledge and spewed racial epithets at the majority Black crowd, people below spontaneously begin chanting, “Jump! Jump! Jump!”</p>

<p>Shortly after this, a man draped in the Confederate flag was seen walking through the counter-protesters loudly proclaiming, “This flag does not represent hate, it represents heritage. I’m not a racist, people died for this flag,” and so on. Several counter-protesters tried to explain the flaws in his argument, but he was hearing none of it. Later this flag was snatched from his body by a young Black man, who said, “We’re taking this shit back home to burn!”</p>

<p>Shortly after that encounter, this reporter witnessed a cop, hanging from the side of a fast-moving State Law Enforcement Division SUV and dressed in battle fatigues, jump from the vehicle with what appeared to be a shotgun. He then chased an unarmed Black youth, who was able to escape.</p>

<p>Police wound up escorting KKK and Nazi supporters to a parking garage. Counter-protesters followed and continued to express their disdain for the racist groups.</p>

<p>Despite the thick police guard, at least one counter-protester managed to get a jaw-busting punch through to a retreating KKK member. The counter-protester was dragged away by police immediately, and indiscriminate arrests began. Small scuffles and rock throwing took place.</p>

<p>Despite some challenges, the counter protest was absolutely successful, forcing the KKK’s rally to end an hour early. Counter protester Phil Davis of Columbia said, “The fascists were weak today, very weak. The progressives and revolutionaries outnumbered them by hundreds, and they were resoundingly defeated, and let’s hope they don’t come back.”</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/8TJPcpnR.jpg" alt="Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC." title="Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC. Klan met by big counter protest in Colombia, SC.
 \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:ColumbiaSC" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">ColumbiaSC</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:PeoplesStruggles" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">PeoplesStruggles</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiRacism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiRacism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KKK" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KKK</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SouthCarolina" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SouthCarolina</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/thousands-square-against-klan-columbia-sc</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 19 Jul 2015 22:08:32 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Honors go to civil rights leaders and Jacksonville Progressive Coalition for battling KKK</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/honors-go-civil-rights-leaders-and-jacksonville-progressive-coalition-battling-kkk?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Jacksonville Progressive Coalition at SCLC annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Jacksonville, FL – 150 people attended the Southern Christian Leadership Conference&#39;s (SCLC) annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner” on April 26. Hosted at the Sheraton in Deerwood, the dinner drew clergy, politicians and activists from across the Jacksonville community.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Reverend Dr. C.T. Vivian was the keynote speaker. Vivian, a close associate of King and a Freedom Rider, worked to integrate the South during the Civil Rights movement. In 1964, Vivian fought &#39;whites only&#39; beach segregation with &#39;wade-ins&#39; at Saint Augustine Beach. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members physically attacked the brave waders in the water. The sheriff&#39;s office arrested the civil rights waders. Dr. Vivian&#39;s efforts contributed to passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.&#xA;&#xA;Dr. Vivian delivered an impassioned speech at the dinner calling for activists to recognize the class struggle taking place in the U.S. and to renew the mission of Dr. King for a new generation. He also called on older activists to create a space for young activists to get involved and lead the modern struggle against racism.&#xA;&#xA;During his speech, Vivian criticized politicians who promise the African-American community change but do not deliver when they are elected, “It&#39;s important that any time we have a gathering like this with politicians in the room, we talk openly about these issues.” He continued by directly addressing Jacksonville&#39;s Mayor Alvin Brown, who was present at the dinner, by saying, “We should support the mayor and the city council when they are on the right side, and we should throw them out when they don&#39;t follow through.” His comments drew huge applause from the audience.&#xA;&#xA;At the dinner, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) received the “Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award for Legends, Pioneers and Trailblazers.” The JPC, founded in 2012, worked closely with the SCLC to successfully change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. In 1959, white segregationists named Forrest High after the first Grand Wizard of the KKK.&#xA;&#xA;Reverend Opio Sokoni, the President of the Jacksonville chapter of the SCLC, wrote of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, “Your organization helped to lead the fight which changed the name of Westside High School from the KKK&#39;s first Honorary Grand Wizard, Nathan B. Forrest. You also stood vigilant for justice against the killing of Jordan Davis, among other causes.” Sokoni continued, “This award is in response to the JPC&#39;s activist fight against racism in the City of Jacksonville, Florida. The SCLC of Jacksonville is proud to serve beside you.”&#xA;&#xA;The SCLC and the JPC led the protests outside the trial of Michael Dunn, the racist vigilante who murdered 17-year-old African-American youth Jordan Davis in Jacksonville. Dunn was convicted on several attempted murder charges but received a mistrial for murdering Davis. Protesters led a night march demanding the resignation of State Attorney Angela Corey after the verdict.&#xA;&#xA;Additionally, the JPC is working on a citywide campaign to pass a Human Rights Ordinance through the city council which extends civil rights protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.&#xA;&#xA;In addition to Vivian and the JPC, other important civil rights leaders and activists in the community were honored, including Pastor R.L. Gundy and J.T. Johnson, both with the SCLC, and Pastor Landon Williams, who distinguished himself with his staunch pro-worker activism.&#xA;&#xA;The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition is planning protests in solidarity with Marissa Alexander, who is being retried by State Attorney Angela Corey in July 2014. Alexander is the 33-year-old African American mother originally convicted for firing a warning shot to fend off her abusive husband. There are growing calls nationwide for the resignation of State Attorney Angela Corey and freedom for Marissa Alexander.&#xA;&#xA;#JacksonvilleFL #PeoplesStruggles #AntiRacism #KuKluxKlan #SouthernChristianLeadershipConference #MarissaAlexander #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/oOg3wzzP.jpg" alt="Jacksonville Progressive Coalition at SCLC annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A" title="Jacksonville Progressive Coalition at SCLC annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A Jacksonville Progressive Coalition at SCLC annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner.\&#34; \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Jacksonville, FL – 150 people attended the Southern Christian Leadership Conference&#39;s (SCLC) annual “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner” on April 26. Hosted at the Sheraton in Deerwood, the dinner drew clergy, politicians and activists from across the Jacksonville community.</p>



<p>Reverend Dr. C.T. Vivian was the keynote speaker. Vivian, a close associate of King and a Freedom Rider, worked to integrate the South during the Civil Rights movement. In 1964, Vivian fought &#39;whites only&#39; beach segregation with &#39;wade-ins&#39; at Saint Augustine Beach. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) members physically attacked the brave waders in the water. The sheriff&#39;s office arrested the civil rights waders. Dr. Vivian&#39;s efforts contributed to passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.</p>

<p>Dr. Vivian delivered an impassioned speech at the dinner calling for activists to recognize the class struggle taking place in the U.S. and to renew the mission of Dr. King for a new generation. He also called on older activists to create a space for young activists to get involved and lead the modern struggle against racism.</p>

<p>During his speech, Vivian criticized politicians who promise the African-American community change but do not deliver when they are elected, “It&#39;s important that any time we have a gathering like this with politicians in the room, we talk openly about these issues.” He continued by directly addressing Jacksonville&#39;s Mayor Alvin Brown, who was present at the dinner, by saying, “We should support the mayor and the city council when they are on the right side, and we should throw them out when they don&#39;t follow through.” His comments drew huge applause from the audience.</p>

<p>At the dinner, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) received the “Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Award for Legends, Pioneers and Trailblazers.” The JPC, founded in 2012, worked closely with the SCLC to successfully change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. In 1959, white segregationists named Forrest High after the first Grand Wizard of the KKK.</p>

<p>Reverend Opio Sokoni, the President of the Jacksonville chapter of the SCLC, wrote of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, “Your organization helped to lead the fight which changed the name of Westside High School from the KKK&#39;s first Honorary Grand Wizard, Nathan B. Forrest. You also stood vigilant for justice against the killing of Jordan Davis, among other causes.” Sokoni continued, “This award is in response to the JPC&#39;s activist fight against racism in the City of Jacksonville, Florida. The SCLC of Jacksonville is proud to serve beside you.”</p>

<p>The SCLC and the JPC led the protests outside the trial of Michael Dunn, the racist vigilante who murdered 17-year-old African-American youth Jordan Davis in Jacksonville. Dunn was convicted on several attempted murder charges but received a mistrial for murdering Davis. Protesters led a night march demanding the resignation of State Attorney Angela Corey after the verdict.</p>

<p>Additionally, the JPC is working on a citywide campaign to pass a Human Rights Ordinance through the city council which extends civil rights protections to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.</p>

<p>In addition to Vivian and the JPC, other important civil rights leaders and activists in the community were honored, including Pastor R.L. Gundy and J.T. Johnson, both with the SCLC, and Pastor Landon Williams, who distinguished himself with his staunch pro-worker activism.</p>

<p>The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition is planning protests in solidarity with Marissa Alexander, who is being retried by State Attorney Angela Corey in July 2014. Alexander is the 33-year-old African American mother originally convicted for firing a warning shot to fend off her abusive husband. There are growing calls nationwide for the resignation of State Attorney Angela Corey and freedom for Marissa Alexander.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:JacksonvilleFL" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">JacksonvilleFL</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:PeoplesStruggles" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">PeoplesStruggles</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiRacism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiRacism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:SouthernChristianLeadershipConference" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">SouthernChristianLeadershipConference</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:MarissaAlexander" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">MarissaAlexander</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/honors-go-civil-rights-leaders-and-jacksonville-progressive-coalition-battling-kkk</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2014 01:25:23 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Tennessee protesters rally against Nazis</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/tennessee-protesters-rally-against-nazis?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Michael Sampson speaking at April 26 protest against white supremacists.&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Dickson, TN - On April 26 Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied outside of the Montgomery Bell Park Inn to confront a group of Nazis and white supremacists called American Renaissance or “AmRen.” Protesters held a banner, “Shut down AmRen,” and signs reading, “Hey Nazis, remember Stalingrad,” “Say no 2 racism,” and “All you fascists bound to lose.”&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The protesters chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, AmRen has got to go!” and “Shut down AmRen! Shut down AmRen!” Across from the protest, a handful of Klansmen and Nazis dressed in suits huddled feebly around the entrance to the hotel. The suit and tie fascists took pictures of the anti-Nazi rally as speakers denounced fascism and white supremacy. The rally included speakers from the Dream Defenders, One People’s Project and local community leaders.&#xA;&#xA;State and local police protected the AmRen white supremacists and hassled protesters. After following one carload of community organizers into Montgomery Bell Park, manager Pat Wright, himself a police officer, attempted to stop the anti-Nazi protesters from holding their rally outside the hotel. Protesters showed a permit signed by Pat Wright himself, agreeing to allow protesters to rally outside of the hotel. Officer Wright seemed unwilling to keep his word or follow his own rules. After reading the permit word for word and showing Officer Wright his own signature on the permit, Officer Wright demanded that protesters step back.&#xA;&#xA;The protesters gathered to discuss how to respond to Officer Wright’s threats. They decided they were not afraid of Officer Pat Wright or the white supremacists and would rally as planned. Once Officer Wright saw protesters moving to begin the rally he asked to see the permit again and backed down.&#xA;&#xA;Speakers at the rally pointed to the importance of organizing against the entire system of inequality that fosters the growth of hate groups such as AmRen. Fernando Figueroa said, “People traveled from different parts of the South to say no to Nazis, no to racism. Only a united front against the 1% can defeat bigotry and win a better future for our children.”&#xA;&#xA;SDSer Ian Chambers challenged those who attempt to downplay the threat that hate groups such as American Renaissance pose to the community, “The Southern Poverty Law Center says that American Renaissance has not committed acts of violence. But, we know that their presence here is an act of violence. We know that their speech is an act of violence. They are organizing themselves towards an agenda of genocide and violent attacks on LGBTQ people and Black and Brown people and anyone who dares to fight back against fascism. We march forward to boldly confront white supremacy today in the footsteps of revolutionaries such as Huey Newton, Sylvia Rivera and John Brown and we will continue to march forward until victory.”&#xA;&#xA;Protesters vowed to continue to organize the fight against white supremacy and for a better world. Michael Sampson of the Dream Defenders said, “I came here to stand with my brothers and sisters against racism, fascism and national oppression, but as well to let it be known that people all over the South are rising up to defeat the elite that oppress us daily.” SDSers say they plan to keep the heat on Governor Haslam and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (which runs Montgomery Bell Park) to demand they cease promoting hate groups such as American Renaissance.&#xA;&#xA;Tennessee protest confronts Nazi gathering.&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#DicksonTN #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #AntiRacism #KuKluxKlan #AmericanRennaissance #antifascism #MontgomeryBellPark #OfficerPatWright&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/saMDCv96.jpg" alt="Michael Sampson speaking at April 26 protest against white supremacists." title="Michael Sampson speaking at April 26 protest against white supremacists. \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Dickson, TN – On April 26 Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied outside of the Montgomery Bell Park Inn to confront a group of Nazis and white supremacists called American Renaissance or “AmRen.” Protesters held a banner, “Shut down AmRen,” and signs reading, “Hey Nazis, remember Stalingrad,” “Say no 2 racism,” and “All you fascists bound to lose.”</p>



<p>The protesters chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, AmRen has got to go!” and “Shut down AmRen! Shut down AmRen!” Across from the protest, a handful of Klansmen and Nazis dressed in suits huddled feebly around the entrance to the hotel. The suit and tie fascists took pictures of the anti-Nazi rally as speakers denounced fascism and white supremacy. The rally included speakers from the Dream Defenders, One People’s Project and local community leaders.</p>

<p>State and local police protected the AmRen white supremacists and hassled protesters. After following one carload of community organizers into Montgomery Bell Park, manager Pat Wright, himself a police officer, attempted to stop the anti-Nazi protesters from holding their rally outside the hotel. Protesters showed a permit signed by Pat Wright himself, agreeing to allow protesters to rally outside of the hotel. Officer Wright seemed unwilling to keep his word or follow his own rules. After reading the permit word for word and showing Officer Wright his own signature on the permit, Officer Wright demanded that protesters step back.</p>

<p>The protesters gathered to discuss how to respond to Officer Wright’s threats. They decided they were not afraid of Officer Pat Wright or the white supremacists and would rally as planned. Once Officer Wright saw protesters moving to begin the rally he asked to see the permit again and backed down.</p>

<p>Speakers at the rally pointed to the importance of organizing against the entire system of inequality that fosters the growth of hate groups such as AmRen. Fernando Figueroa said, “People traveled from different parts of the South to say no to Nazis, no to racism. Only a united front against the 1% can defeat bigotry and win a better future for our children.”</p>

<p>SDSer Ian Chambers challenged those who attempt to downplay the threat that hate groups such as American Renaissance pose to the community, “The Southern Poverty Law Center says that American Renaissance has not committed acts of violence. But, we know that their presence here is an act of violence. We know that their speech is an act of violence. They are organizing themselves towards an agenda of genocide and violent attacks on LGBTQ people and Black and Brown people and anyone who dares to fight back against fascism. We march forward to boldly confront white supremacy today in the footsteps of revolutionaries such as Huey Newton, Sylvia Rivera and John Brown and we will continue to march forward until victory.”</p>

<p>Protesters vowed to continue to organize the fight against white supremacy and for a better world. Michael Sampson of the Dream Defenders said, “I came here to stand with my brothers and sisters against racism, fascism and national oppression, but as well to let it be known that people all over the South are rising up to defeat the elite that oppress us daily.” SDSers say they plan to keep the heat on Governor Haslam and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (which runs Montgomery Bell Park) to demand they cease promoting hate groups such as American Renaissance.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/vbCZkONy.jpg" alt="Tennessee protest confronts Nazi gathering." title="Tennessee protest confronts Nazi gathering. \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:DicksonTN" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">DicksonTN</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:StudentsForADemocraticSociety" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">StudentsForADemocraticSociety</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiRacism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiRacism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AmericanRennaissance" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AmericanRennaissance</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:antifascism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">antifascism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:MontgomeryBellPark" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">MontgomeryBellPark</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:OfficerPatWright" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">OfficerPatWright</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/tennessee-protesters-rally-against-nazis</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2014 01:10:39 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Victory: Jacksonville activists win name change for Nathan B. Forrest High School</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/victory-jacksonville-activists-win-name-change-nathan-b-forrest-high-school?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[School was named for KKK grand wizard&#xA;&#xA;Jacksonville, FL - With more than 50 activists and community members present, the Duval County School Board voted unanimously, Dec. 16, to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The historic vote by the school board comes at the end of a six-month campaign by the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) and other forces to drop the local high school&#39;s racist namesake.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;&#34;We have to change the name of this school because this city can no longer honor a slave trader, war criminal and grand wizard of the KKK,&#34; said Richard Blake, a Teamster and member of the JPC who spoke at the school board meeting before the vote. &#34;The heritage of Nathan B. Forrest is not our heritage - it is that of the oppressor.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Superintendent Nikolai Vitti began the school board meeting by sharing the board&#39;s findings in polling the community about the name change. A poll conducted last week by the school board at Forrest High School found that about 64% of the student body favored changing the name. He then made a recommendation to the board to change the school&#39;s name, which was approved by every board member.&#xA;&#xA;Paula D. Wright, one of the school board members who spoke out in support of the name change, said, &#34;We talk about what&#39;s in a name. A name does matter because it can service the foundation of how we think of ourselves and how we move beyond the particular place we&#39;re in at the time.&#34; She shared with the board and the audience her own story of attending school and receiving second-class treatment as an African American student. &#34;This moves our entire city towards equality and justice.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;The campaign to rename Forrest High School drew hundreds of community activists together, who attended forums, gathered petitions and protested the school&#39;s racist name. More than 160,000 people signed an online petition at change.org started by Jacksonville community activist Omotayo Richmond. The JPC spent months gathering more than 2000 hand-written community surveys, which overwhelmingly showed support for changing the name. Supporters of the name change also brought their energy and arguments to several town hall forums called by the school board, which pressured the board into changing the name.&#xA;&#xA;Forrest High School, named after the infamously racist slave trader and Confederate general Nathan B. Forrest, received its name in 1959. The United Daughters of the Confederacy chose the name as a stunt to protest the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated all-white schools throughout the country. To advance their racist agenda, they ignored the students&#39; vote to keep the school named Valhalla High School.&#xA;&#xA;The name Nathan Bedford Forrest is a blunt reminder of racist hatred, violence and terror. Forrest was a brutal slave trader, ordered the infamous Fort Pillow Massacre, and led the KKK. At Fort Pillow, Forrest’s troops executed hundreds of captured and surrendering Union soldiers, most of whom were African American, which Forrest bragged about in his military dispatches. The Daughters of the Confederacy chose the name to intimidate courageous African American civil rights activists, many of them teenagers, struggling for freedom.&#xA;&#xA;&#34;Tonight was a historic blow to the racism of the Deep South,&#34; said Fernando Figueroa, an activist with the JPC. &#34;The neo-confederates who spoke in favor of Forrest saw the writing on the wall. We&#39;re building the freedom struggle in Jacksonville star by star.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;When Forrest High School opened in 1959, it was an all-white, segregated school. Today, 54% of the school&#39;s approximately 1800 students are African-American.&#xA;&#xA;Jason Fischer, another school board member, concluded his remarks in support of the name change, saying, &#34;We need to make today about honoring the future, which is our children.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;#JacksonvilleFL #AntiRacism #KuKluxKlan #DefendEducation #NathanBedfordForrest #NathanBedfordForrestHigh #segregation #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>School was named for KKK grand wizard</em></p>

<p>Jacksonville, FL – With more than 50 activists and community members present, the Duval County School Board voted unanimously, Dec. 16, to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The historic vote by the school board comes at the end of a six-month campaign by the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) and other forces to drop the local high school&#39;s racist namesake.</p>



<p>“We have to change the name of this school because this city can no longer honor a slave trader, war criminal and grand wizard of the KKK,” said Richard Blake, a Teamster and member of the JPC who spoke at the school board meeting before the vote. “The heritage of Nathan B. Forrest is not our heritage – it is that of the oppressor.”</p>

<p>Superintendent Nikolai Vitti began the school board meeting by sharing the board&#39;s findings in polling the community about the name change. A poll conducted last week by the school board at Forrest High School found that about 64% of the student body favored changing the name. He then made a recommendation to the board to change the school&#39;s name, which was approved by every board member.</p>

<p>Paula D. Wright, one of the school board members who spoke out in support of the name change, said, “We talk about what&#39;s in a name. A name does matter because it can service the foundation of how we think of ourselves and how we move beyond the particular place we&#39;re in at the time.” She shared with the board and the audience her own story of attending school and receiving second-class treatment as an African American student. “This moves our entire city towards equality and justice.”</p>

<p>The campaign to rename Forrest High School drew hundreds of community activists together, who attended forums, gathered petitions and protested the school&#39;s racist name. More than 160,000 people signed an online petition at change.org started by Jacksonville community activist Omotayo Richmond. The JPC spent months gathering more than 2000 hand-written community surveys, which overwhelmingly showed support for changing the name. Supporters of the name change also brought their energy and arguments to several town hall forums called by the school board, which pressured the board into changing the name.</p>

<p>Forrest High School, named after the infamously racist slave trader and Confederate general Nathan B. Forrest, received its name in 1959. The United Daughters of the Confederacy chose the name as a stunt to protest the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated all-white schools throughout the country. To advance their racist agenda, they ignored the students&#39; vote to keep the school named Valhalla High School.</p>

<p>The name Nathan Bedford Forrest is a blunt reminder of racist hatred, violence and terror. Forrest was a brutal slave trader, ordered the infamous Fort Pillow Massacre, and led the KKK. At Fort Pillow, Forrest’s troops executed hundreds of captured and surrendering Union soldiers, most of whom were African American, which Forrest bragged about in his military dispatches. The Daughters of the Confederacy chose the name to intimidate courageous African American civil rights activists, many of them teenagers, struggling for freedom.</p>

<p>“Tonight was a historic blow to the racism of the Deep South,” said Fernando Figueroa, an activist with the JPC. “The neo-confederates who spoke in favor of Forrest saw the writing on the wall. We&#39;re building the freedom struggle in Jacksonville star by star.”</p>

<p>When Forrest High School opened in 1959, it was an all-white, segregated school. Today, 54% of the school&#39;s approximately 1800 students are African-American.</p>

<p>Jason Fischer, another school board member, concluded his remarks in support of the name change, saying, “We need to make today about honoring the future, which is our children.”</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:JacksonvilleFL" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">JacksonvilleFL</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiRacism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiRacism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:DefendEducation" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">DefendEducation</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:NathanBedfordForrest" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">NathanBedfordForrest</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:NathanBedfordForrestHigh" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">NathanBedfordForrestHigh</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:segregation" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">segregation</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/victory-jacksonville-activists-win-name-change-nathan-b-forrest-high-school</guid>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Dec 2013 03:29:56 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Jacksonville community tells school board: “No KKK High School”  </title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/jacksonville-community-tells-school-board-no-kkk-high-school?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Dave Schnieder at rally to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Jacksonville, FL – About 30 residents of Jacksonville rallied and spoke out at a Duval County School Board meeting on Nov. 5 in favor of changing the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High. Nathan Bedford Forrest was the first Imperial Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) have been gathering community support to change the name of the local high school named after this monster for some time.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Before the meeting of the school board, members of JPC held signs and rallied outside the building despite poor weather. Signs read “Change the name,” and “No KKK High School.” Activists were spirited as they talked to local media and chanted “What do we want – name change! When do we want it – now!” There was only one lonely person counter-protesting the rally and standing in favor of keeping the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest for the school.&#xA;&#xA;When it came time for the school board to meet, activists filtered into the room and signed up for public comment. The vast majority of the public commentary section was filled with activists speaking in favor of changing the name. The few racists who spoke in favor of keeping the name were often laughed at. One person was escorted out of the room by the Jacksonville Sheriff&#39;s Office for referring to black people with a racial slur.&#xA;&#xA;Members of JPC spoke passionately about the need to fight the long standing racist name of the school, including Teamster member and community activist Dave Schneider, who urged the school board to “be on the right side of history and change the name.” Lance Stoll of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition handed the school board well over 1000 surveys indicating the desire of the community to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forest High School. Opponents to changing the name brought a gold letter opener with Nathan Bedford Forrest&#39;s likeness and confederate Civil War medals from the 1800s as “supporting evidence” for their side of the story. Towards the end of the meeting, African American school board member Dr. Connie Hall read a request to &#34;initiate the renaming of Nathan B. Forrest High School.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;The meeting ended with a resounding victory when the school board decided to call for a special meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, at 1:00 p.m. to move forward with a vote to change the name. Community organizers are optimistic about the outcome of that vote.&#xA;&#xA;Members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;A member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists demands the name be changed&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#JacksonvilleFL #KuKluxKlan #Antiracism #NathanBedfordForrestHigh&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/2fCKRdUx.jpg" alt="Dave Schnieder at rally to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High" title="Dave Schnieder at rally to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Jacksonville, FL – About 30 residents of Jacksonville rallied and spoke out at a Duval County School Board meeting on Nov. 5 in favor of changing the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High. Nathan Bedford Forrest was the first Imperial Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) have been gathering community support to change the name of the local high school named after this monster for some time.</p>



<p>Before the meeting of the school board, members of JPC held signs and rallied outside the building despite poor weather. Signs read “Change the name,” and “No KKK High School.” Activists were spirited as they talked to local media and chanted “What do we want – name change! When do we want it – now!” There was only one lonely person counter-protesting the rally and standing in favor of keeping the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest for the school.</p>

<p>When it came time for the school board to meet, activists filtered into the room and signed up for public comment. The vast majority of the public commentary section was filled with activists speaking in favor of changing the name. The few racists who spoke in favor of keeping the name were often laughed at. One person was escorted out of the room by the Jacksonville Sheriff&#39;s Office for referring to black people with a racial slur.</p>

<p>Members of JPC spoke passionately about the need to fight the long standing racist name of the school, including Teamster member and community activist Dave Schneider, who urged the school board to “be on the right side of history and change the name.” Lance Stoll of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition handed the school board well over 1000 surveys indicating the desire of the community to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forest High School. Opponents to changing the name brought a gold letter opener with Nathan Bedford Forrest&#39;s likeness and confederate Civil War medals from the 1800s as “supporting evidence” for their side of the story. Towards the end of the meeting, African American school board member Dr. Connie Hall read a request to “initiate the renaming of Nathan B. Forrest High School.”</p>

<p>The meeting ended with a resounding victory when the school board decided to call for a special meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, at 1:00 p.m. to move forward with a vote to change the name. Community organizers are optimistic about the outcome of that vote.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/xRYOzoPk.jpg" alt="Members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition" title="Members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition  Members of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition hold signs outside the Duval County School Board office \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/qVrlME9P.jpg" alt="A member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists demands the name be changed" title="A member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists demands the name be changed \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:JacksonvilleFL" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">JacksonvilleFL</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Antiracism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Antiracism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:NathanBedfordForrestHigh" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">NathanBedfordForrestHigh</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/jacksonville-community-tells-school-board-no-kkk-high-school</guid>
      <pubDate>Fri, 08 Nov 2013 02:02:02 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Protesters confront white supremacists in Tennessee</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/protesters-confront-white-supremacists-tennessee?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Some of the protesters at the American Renaissance (AmRen) white supremacist con white supremacist con Some of the protesters at the American Renaissance \(AmRen\) white supremacist conference. \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Dickson, TN – Community members, activists and students, including Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), converged on Montgomery Bell Park in Dickson County, Tennessee on the weekend of April 5-7 to demand the park not host the American Renaissance (AmRen) white supremacist conference. On April 5 and 6, they rallied outside the Montgomery Bell Park Inn and Conference Center, where the racists’ conference was being hosted. Protesters demanded “Shut down AmRen!” and held a conference of their own on Saturday to discuss ways to fight back against racism, white supremacy and to build the power of the people.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Protesters had agreed that they would confront the white supremacists regardless of Park Manager Pat Wright and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation&#39;s (TDEC) efforts to suppress free speech by denying all permit requests related to protesting AmRen&#39;s presence in the park. However, after intense public pressure and thousands of phone calls to the state, park officials and TDEC caved to some of the protesters&#39; demands on April 5. Just a few hours before protesters planned to rally outside the inn and conference center, the state finally issued a demonstration permit after repeated permit denials.&#xA;&#xA;The AmRen conference drew neo-nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, holocaust deniers, anti-immigration thugs and other racists, where they networked with each other and discussed building their organizational efforts. Protesters confronted the racists on April 5 as they gathered to register for their conference, chanting, “1,2,3,4 don’t go in that hotel door! 5,6,7,8 we don’t want no fascist state!” and “AmRen, AmRen racist fools, we don&#39;t like your attitude!” and holding signs saying, “Remember Stalingrad?”, “Go back to Europe!”, and “Inbreeding = bad genetics.”&#xA;&#xA;An SDSer at the rally said, “Just last weekend we confronted the Klan in Memphis and now we are here fighting back against these terrorists again in this secluded park. The state of Tennessee has repeatedly shown itself to not only be useless in helping us stop fascists and racist terrorists from organizing, but to also do everything it can to facilitate their organizational efforts. But we are strong and unafraid and we get stronger with every confrontation. We are going to win. There is nowhere they can hide that we won&#39;t find them.”&#xA;&#xA;On April 6, over 50 people gathered in a pavilion in the park to hold a counter-conference, where speakers discussed the history of white supremacy, slavery and genocide in the U.S. and strategies for fighting back against racism. There were also several speakers and workshops concerning LGBTQ liberation and women&#39;s liberation that focused on highlighting the ways these struggles are intertwined with other liberation struggles. Speakers stressed the importance of not only combating white supremacy ideologically but also the importance of confronting them in the streets. A speaker from United Mountain Defense said, “If fear of violence keeps you from confronting evil, evil will always win. It is only through confrontation that the truth comes out. There can be no excuse for inaction.”&#xA;&#xA;After the counter-conference was over, people took the streets and marched on the conference center where the white supremacists had gathered. Marchers held signs and red flags and chanted, “Shut down AmRen! Shut down AmRen!” Once protesters were outside the conference center, a few AmRen attendees came out briefly to make their fascist sympathies clear with gestures such as the ‘seig heil’ nazi salute. Protesters began singing Woody Guthrie’s &#34;All You Fascists Bound to Lose&#34; and chanting “Smash the nazis! Stop the hate!” In short order, the neo-nazis and other white supremacists scurried to hide inside the conference center protected by police and park rangers. For several hours, until the sun set, protesters continued chanting, singing and demanding AmRen attendees to come out and show themselves.&#xA;&#xA;#DicksonTN #AntiRacism #KuKluxKlan #fascism #AmericanRenaissanceAmRen&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/VuglF5UA.jpg" alt="Some of the protesters at the American Renaissance (AmRen) white supremacist con" title="Some of the protesters at the American Renaissance \(AmRen\) white supremacist con Some of the protesters at the American Renaissance \(AmRen\) white supremacist conference. \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Dickson, TN – Community members, activists and students, including Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), converged on Montgomery Bell Park in Dickson County, Tennessee on the weekend of April 5-7 to demand the park not host the American Renaissance (AmRen) white supremacist conference. On April 5 and 6, they rallied outside the Montgomery Bell Park Inn and Conference Center, where the racists’ conference was being hosted. Protesters demanded “Shut down AmRen!” and held a conference of their own on Saturday to discuss ways to fight back against racism, white supremacy and to build the power of the people.</p>



<p>Protesters had agreed that they would confront the white supremacists regardless of Park Manager Pat Wright and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation&#39;s (TDEC) efforts to suppress free speech by denying all permit requests related to protesting AmRen&#39;s presence in the park. However, after intense public pressure and thousands of phone calls to the state, park officials and TDEC caved to some of the protesters&#39; demands on April 5. Just a few hours before protesters planned to rally outside the inn and conference center, the state finally issued a demonstration permit after repeated permit denials.</p>

<p>The AmRen conference drew neo-nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, holocaust deniers, anti-immigration thugs and other racists, where they networked with each other and discussed building their organizational efforts. Protesters confronted the racists on April 5 as they gathered to register for their conference, chanting, “1,2,3,4 don’t go in that hotel door! 5,6,7,8 we don’t want no fascist state!” and “AmRen, AmRen racist fools, we don&#39;t like your attitude!” and holding signs saying, “Remember Stalingrad?”, “Go back to Europe!”, and “Inbreeding = bad genetics.”</p>

<p>An SDSer at the rally said, “Just last weekend we confronted the Klan in Memphis and now we are here fighting back against these terrorists again in this secluded park. The state of Tennessee has repeatedly shown itself to not only be useless in helping us stop fascists and racist terrorists from organizing, but to also do everything it can to facilitate their organizational efforts. But we are strong and unafraid and we get stronger with every confrontation. We are going to win. There is nowhere they can hide that we won&#39;t find them.”</p>

<p>On April 6, over 50 people gathered in a pavilion in the park to hold a counter-conference, where speakers discussed the history of white supremacy, slavery and genocide in the U.S. and strategies for fighting back against racism. There were also several speakers and workshops concerning LGBTQ liberation and women&#39;s liberation that focused on highlighting the ways these struggles are intertwined with other liberation struggles. Speakers stressed the importance of not only combating white supremacy ideologically but also the importance of confronting them in the streets. A speaker from United Mountain Defense said, “If fear of violence keeps you from confronting evil, evil will always win. It is only through confrontation that the truth comes out. There can be no excuse for inaction.”</p>

<p>After the counter-conference was over, people took the streets and marched on the conference center where the white supremacists had gathered. Marchers held signs and red flags and chanted, “Shut down AmRen! Shut down AmRen!” Once protesters were outside the conference center, a few AmRen attendees came out briefly to make their fascist sympathies clear with gestures such as the ‘seig heil’ nazi salute. Protesters began singing Woody Guthrie’s “All You Fascists Bound to Lose” and chanting “Smash the nazis! Stop the hate!” In short order, the neo-nazis and other white supremacists scurried to hide inside the conference center protected by police and park rangers. For several hours, until the sun set, protesters continued chanting, singing and demanding AmRen attendees to come out and show themselves.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:DicksonTN" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">DicksonTN</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AntiRacism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AntiRacism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:fascism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">fascism</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AmericanRenaissanceAmRen" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AmericanRenaissanceAmRen</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/protesters-confront-white-supremacists-tennessee</guid>
      <pubDate>Wed, 10 Apr 2013 01:19:51 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Memphis protest against the Klan</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/memphis-protest-against-klan?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[Riot cops at anti-KKK protest&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;Memphis, TN - Organizers, community members and activists from around the country converged on the city of Memphis, Tennessee on March 30 to protest the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which held a rally on the courthouse steps. Anti-Klan protesters were met with an extreme show of force by the militarized Memphis Police Department who showed an extreme and flagrant disregard for free speech.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The anti-Klan demonstration began with a march, organized by the Ida B. Wells Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality, from Court Square towards the courthouse. The march passed a ‘free speech’ cage that was surrounded by riot cops armed with semi-automatic assault rifles, shotguns, chemical weapons launchers, snipers on the rooftops and dogs. Inside the cage were a large number of people who had gathered to make their opposition to the Klan’s presence known. The march stopped briefly to deliberate and then decided to continue into the cage to join with the people already there.&#xA;&#xA;A line stretched around the block to gain access to the cage because police set up a ‘free speech’ checkpoint where every person who entered the cage was made to empty their pockets, be patted down, go through a metal detector machine and then be wanded with a handheld metal detector. After this process, police officers stole all signs, flags, banners, literature, newspapers, pamphlets, flyers, umbrellas and many other items from protesters and threw them in the trash. One young student wearing a t-shirt portraying an image of Huey Newton was told by police that he must take his shirt off and turn it over to police before he could enter; when he refused he was immediately escorted out of the area by police.&#xA;&#xA;After a passing this checkpoint, demonstrators, who were now stripped of their signs, were forced to walk several hundred yards through a gauntlet of riot cops standing shoulder to shoulder before entering a large parking lot surrounded on all sides by a chain link fence and a militarized police force. Just barely visible on the other side of the cage behind several rows of riot police and police on horses another several hundred yards away, the Klan stood on the courthouse steps in white hoods and robes waving racist flags.&#xA;&#xA;Protesters chanted, “What do we do when Memphis is under attack? Stand up, fight back!” “Cops and Klan work hand in hand!” and “KKK out of Memphis!” Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) member Preston Gilmore said, “The Klan isn&#39;t the only white supremacist terrorist organization here in Memphis today. The Memphis Police Department is a racist terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of many mostly Black Memphians and their open protection of the Klan and harassment of protesters demanding an end to racist attacks on the city is a testament to this fact.”&#xA;&#xA;Organizers from Tennessee plan to continue the fight against white supremacy on the weekend of April 5-7 in Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson County, Tennessee. The park plans to host a major white supremacist conference that will include the Klan, neo-nazis, holocaust deniers, anti-immigration thugs and other racists and fascists. The Coalition to Shut Down AmRen will rally on April 5 and 6 outside the Montgomery Bell Park Inn and Conference Center, demanding that the racists’ conference be shut down. There will also be a counter-conference called “Not in Our State” on April 6. For more information about these actions go to: www.facebook.com/events/543463712354434&#xA;&#xA;Memphis protest against the Klan&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#MemphisTN #KuKluxKlan #Antiracism&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/ai76W6P5.jpg" alt="Riot cops at anti-KKK protest" title="Riot cops at anti-KKK protest \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p>Memphis, TN – Organizers, community members and activists from around the country converged on the city of Memphis, Tennessee on March 30 to protest the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which held a rally on the courthouse steps. Anti-Klan protesters were met with an extreme show of force by the militarized Memphis Police Department who showed an extreme and flagrant disregard for free speech.</p>



<p>The anti-Klan demonstration began with a march, organized by the Ida B. Wells Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality, from Court Square towards the courthouse. The march passed a ‘free speech’ cage that was surrounded by riot cops armed with semi-automatic assault rifles, shotguns, chemical weapons launchers, snipers on the rooftops and dogs. Inside the cage were a large number of people who had gathered to make their opposition to the Klan’s presence known. The march stopped briefly to deliberate and then decided to continue into the cage to join with the people already there.</p>

<p>A line stretched around the block to gain access to the cage because police set up a ‘free speech’ checkpoint where every person who entered the cage was made to empty their pockets, be patted down, go through a metal detector machine and then be wanded with a handheld metal detector. After this process, police officers stole all signs, flags, banners, literature, newspapers, pamphlets, flyers, umbrellas and many other items from protesters and threw them in the trash. One young student wearing a t-shirt portraying an image of Huey Newton was told by police that he must take his shirt off and turn it over to police before he could enter; when he refused he was immediately escorted out of the area by police.</p>

<p>After a passing this checkpoint, demonstrators, who were now stripped of their signs, were forced to walk several hundred yards through a gauntlet of riot cops standing shoulder to shoulder before entering a large parking lot surrounded on all sides by a chain link fence and a militarized police force. Just barely visible on the other side of the cage behind several rows of riot police and police on horses another several hundred yards away, the Klan stood on the courthouse steps in white hoods and robes waving racist flags.</p>

<p>Protesters chanted, “What do we do when Memphis is under attack? Stand up, fight back!” “Cops and Klan work hand in hand!” and “KKK out of Memphis!” Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) member Preston Gilmore said, “The Klan isn&#39;t the only white supremacist terrorist organization here in Memphis today. The Memphis Police Department is a racist terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of many mostly Black Memphians and their open protection of the Klan and harassment of protesters demanding an end to racist attacks on the city is a testament to this fact.”</p>

<p>Organizers from Tennessee plan to continue the fight against white supremacy on the weekend of April 5-7 in Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson County, Tennessee. The park plans to host a major white supremacist conference that will include the Klan, neo-nazis, holocaust deniers, anti-immigration thugs and other racists and fascists. The Coalition to Shut Down AmRen will rally on April 5 and 6 outside the Montgomery Bell Park Inn and Conference Center, demanding that the racists’ conference be shut down. There will also be a counter-conference called “Not in Our State” on April 6. For more information about these actions go to: www.facebook.com/events/543463712354434</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/dW5DeT3c.jpg" alt="Memphis protest against the Klan" title="Memphis protest against the Klan \(Fight Back! News/Staff\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:MemphisTN" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">MemphisTN</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:Antiracism" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">Antiracism</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/memphis-protest-against-klan</guid>
      <pubDate>Sun, 31 Mar 2013 22:42:17 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Minnesota Says: &#34;Can the Klan, Say No to Racism!&#34;</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/cantheklan?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[![A photo of an effigy of a klansman burning at the rally.](https://i.snap.as/VURakA8M.jpg &#34;A photo of an effigy of a klansman burning at the rally. Effigy of klansman burns at anti-klan rally.&#xD;&#xA; \(Fight Back! News/Kim DeFranco\)&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;St. Paul, MN - On Aug. 25, 3,000 people came to the State Capitol to stand up against the racist Ku Klux Klan and a group of neo-nazis. Organized by a coalition of community groups called Can the Klan, the demonstrators sent a powerful message against racism and discrimination.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;The state government cooperated with the Klan, providing security for their rally. Hundreds of local state and local police were on hand. Police helicopters flew overhead and an armored personnel carrier was parked nearby.&#xA;&#xA;Before the white supremacists came out, the Can the Klan rally started with Michelle Gross, one of the organizers stating, &#34;They are here to recruit and gain a foothold in Minnesota. We can&#39;t hand over anybody to the Klan. It&#39;s important for everyone who is against the them to come out and speak out against them.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Amid speeches, music, drumming and chants, demonstrators prepared for the Klan&#39;s arrival. The crowd was diverse and multinational, as different communities around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area came to express their anger.&#xA;&#xA;People held signs: &#34;No to Racism! No to Klan!&#34; &#34;This is not a time for silence - speak out against racism now!&#34; and &#34;When I was in school, we called it a &#39;dunce cap&#39;! Hate is stupid!&#34; They chanted, &#34;The people united can never be defeated!&#34; and &#34;George Bush, Ku Klux Klan, Same agenda same plan.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Dede Frances, of the Welfare Rights Committee, stated, &#34;The Welfare Rights Committee fights racism that has been institutionalized. In this state capitol, there are people who make laws and run the government. These rich white people, whether they are official Klan or Nazi members or not, have made laws that are racist, anti-poor, anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-children, and anti-family.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;Mick Kelly, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said &#34;The Klan and Nazis are here to further an agenda of racism and discrimination. Any and all protest against them should be welcomed. We can militantly reject racism, discrimination, national oppression and the Klan.&#34; He went on to state that the Klan exists to carry out terror against African Americans, and as such it has no rights that need to be respected.&#xA;&#xA;One hour after the Can the Klan rally opened, the KKK and neo-nazis came out to a roar of boos and jeers. Only 46 white supremacists assembled on the capitol steps. The protesters were about 200 feet away, with 100 cops in the middle and more police in riot gear waiting in the wings.&#xA;&#xA;&#34;Those people on the steps are part of the problem. They use oppressive tactics to keep us down and apart. Today we stand united and strong. We won&#39;t let the white supremacists win!&#34; Anh Pham, of the Anti-War Committee, shouted from the stage. The white supremacists tried get to their message out, and occasionally &#34;white power&#34; and pro-Hitler slogans were heard, but the protesters continually drowned them out. An effigy of a Klansman, wearing a confederate flag cape, was burned in the middle of the rally.&#xA;&#xA;Another protester said, &#34;The KKK is a terrorist organization that the U.S. government has condoned for decades. When the government talks about eliminating what it considers &#34;terrorist&#34; groups, these groups are usually militant oppressed people of color.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;&#34;Shut &#39;em up, shut &#39;em down! Run those racists out of town!&#34; was heard through out the capitol grounds. Eggs were thrown and Nazi sympathizers were chased from the vicinity by protesters. A few brave fighters jumped over the fence to get at the Klan, but were stopped by the line of cops.&#xA;&#xA;Role of the State and Media&#xA;&#xA;State government gave the KKK a permit to speak on the capitol steps. Can the Klan had to fight for its permit to counter rally against the white supremacists. The permit for the anti-racists was not granted until the last minute.&#xA;&#xA;The protest, one of the largest in St. Paul in years, happened in spite of a consistent drumbeat from the press and politicians, who told people not to demonstrate and tried to scare folks away.&#xA;&#xA;Government officials like St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, Capitol Administration and Security, and the state police all tried to prevent the Can the Klan rally. Mayor Coleman went on the air repeatedly to tell people not to come to the anti-Klan protest. He organized an ice cream social as an &#34;alternative&#34; to the demonstration, but less than 200 people stopped by over the course of the day. &#34;I guess people weren&#39;t interested in vanilla ice cream that day,&#34; one Can the Klan member quipped.&#xA;&#xA;Esther, of the Committee to Defend Mumia Abu Jamal, said of Coleman&#39;s tactics, &#34;It turned out to be an advertisement for the Can the Klan rally. Coleman told people to stay away but they came anyway. It&#39;s like having bullies coming into your yard, you just wouldn&#39;t ignore that.&#34;&#xA;&#xA;TV, radio stations and newspapers either echoed the stay away message or had programs debating the idea of ignoring hate groups or not. Some mainstream agencies, like the YWCA, broke off from Can the Klan, and warned of violence if the Klan was confronted. YWCA sponsored a rally the night before. Despite all the pressure, the protesters still out outnumbered the racists 65 to 1.&#xA;&#xA;A photo of the mass protest against the KKK.&#34;)&#xA;&#xA;#StPaulMN #News #WelfareRightsCommittee #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #KuKluxKlan #CanTheKlan&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/VURakA8M.jpg" alt="A photo of an effigy of a klansman burning at the rally." title="A photo of an effigy of a klansman burning at the rally. Effigy of klansman burns at anti-klan rally.
 \(Fight Back! News/Kim DeFranco\)"/></p>

<p>St. Paul, MN – On Aug. 25, 3,000 people came to the State Capitol to stand up against the racist Ku Klux Klan and a group of neo-nazis. Organized by a coalition of community groups called Can the Klan, the demonstrators sent a powerful message against racism and discrimination.</p>



<p>The state government cooperated with the Klan, providing security for their rally. Hundreds of local state and local police were on hand. Police helicopters flew overhead and an armored personnel carrier was parked nearby.</p>

<p>Before the white supremacists came out, the Can the Klan rally started with Michelle Gross, one of the organizers stating, “They are here to recruit and gain a foothold in Minnesota. We can&#39;t hand over anybody to the Klan. It&#39;s important for everyone who is against the them to come out and speak out against them.”</p>

<p>Amid speeches, music, drumming and chants, demonstrators prepared for the Klan&#39;s arrival. The crowd was diverse and multinational, as different communities around the Minneapolis-St. Paul area came to express their anger.</p>

<p>People held signs: “No to Racism! No to Klan!” “This is not a time for silence – speak out against racism now!” and “When I was in school, we called it a &#39;dunce cap&#39;! Hate is stupid!” They chanted, “The people united can never be defeated!” and “George Bush, Ku Klux Klan, Same agenda same plan.”</p>

<p>Dede Frances, of the Welfare Rights Committee, stated, “The Welfare Rights Committee fights racism that has been institutionalized. In this state capitol, there are people who make laws and run the government. These rich white people, whether they are official Klan or Nazi members or not, have made laws that are racist, anti-poor, anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-children, and anti-family.”</p>

<p>Mick Kelly, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said “The Klan and Nazis are here to further an agenda of racism and discrimination. Any and all protest against them should be welcomed. We can militantly reject racism, discrimination, national oppression and the Klan.” He went on to state that the Klan exists to carry out terror against African Americans, and as such it has no rights that need to be respected.</p>

<p>One hour after the Can the Klan rally opened, the KKK and neo-nazis came out to a roar of boos and jeers. Only 46 white supremacists assembled on the capitol steps. The protesters were about 200 feet away, with 100 cops in the middle and more police in riot gear waiting in the wings.</p>

<p>“Those people on the steps are part of the problem. They use oppressive tactics to keep us down and apart. Today we stand united and strong. We won&#39;t let the white supremacists win!” Anh Pham, of the Anti-War Committee, shouted from the stage. The white supremacists tried get to their message out, and occasionally “white power” and pro-Hitler slogans were heard, but the protesters continually drowned them out. An effigy of a Klansman, wearing a confederate flag cape, was burned in the middle of the rally.</p>

<p>Another protester said, “The KKK is a terrorist organization that the U.S. government has condoned for decades. When the government talks about eliminating what it considers “terrorist” groups, these groups are usually militant oppressed people of color.”</p>

<p>“Shut &#39;em up, shut &#39;em down! Run those racists out of town!” was heard through out the capitol grounds. Eggs were thrown and Nazi sympathizers were chased from the vicinity by protesters. A few brave fighters jumped over the fence to get at the Klan, but were stopped by the line of cops.</p>

<p>Role of the State and Media</p>

<p>State government gave the KKK a permit to speak on the capitol steps. Can the Klan had to fight for its permit to counter rally against the white supremacists. The permit for the anti-racists was not granted until the last minute.</p>

<p>The protest, one of the largest in St. Paul in years, happened in spite of a consistent drumbeat from the press and politicians, who told people not to demonstrate and tried to scare folks away.</p>

<p>Government officials like St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, Capitol Administration and Security, and the state police all tried to prevent the Can the Klan rally. Mayor Coleman went on the air repeatedly to tell people not to come to the anti-Klan protest. He organized an ice cream social as an “alternative” to the demonstration, but less than 200 people stopped by over the course of the day. “I guess people weren&#39;t interested in vanilla ice cream that day,” one Can the Klan member quipped.</p>

<p>Esther, of the Committee to Defend Mumia Abu Jamal, said of Coleman&#39;s tactics, “It turned out to be an advertisement for the Can the Klan rally. Coleman told people to stay away but they came anyway. It&#39;s like having bullies coming into your yard, you just wouldn&#39;t ignore that.”</p>

<p>TV, radio stations and newspapers either echoed the stay away message or had programs debating the idea of ignoring hate groups or not. Some mainstream agencies, like the YWCA, broke off from Can the Klan, and warned of violence if the Klan was confronted. YWCA sponsored a rally the night before. Despite all the pressure, the protesters still out outnumbered the racists 65 to 1.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.snap.as/R64hFv6X.jpg" alt="A photo of the mass protest against the KKK." title="A photo of the mass protest against the KKK. 3000 protest KKK and neo-nazis at MN State Capitol. \(Fight Back! News/Kim DeFranco\)"/></p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:StPaulMN" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">StPaulMN</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:News" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">News</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:WelfareRightsCommittee" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">WelfareRightsCommittee</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:CanTheKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">CanTheKlan</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/cantheklan</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:01:39 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>New Yorkers Stomp the Klan</title>
      <link>https://fightbacknews.org/nynoklan?pk_campaign=rss-feed</link>
      <description>&lt;![CDATA[New York, NY - Nearly 10,000 outraged demonstrators overwhelmed a Ku Klux Klan march, October 23. Following a long series of court battles, the Klan was permitted to march in downtown Manhatten&#39;s, Foley Square. The American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan anticipated 200 people in their ranks. Only 16 showed up.&#xA;&#xA;!--more--&#xA;&#xA;Mayor Giuliani and the NYPD went all out to protect the Klan from anti-racist demonstrators. More than 100 cops were mobilized. Police snipers were on the rooftops of four adjacent buildings. Protesters were manhandled into cramped pens, in an attempt to control protester&#39;s movements&#xA;&#xA;Despite the NYPD&#39;s efforts, one anti-racist, a high school counselor from Brooklyn, was able to get through police lines and punch the Klan&#39;s Grand Dragon in the face.&#xA;&#xA;Throughout the afternoon there were confrontations with the police. &#34;Blue Klux Klan&#34;, a reference to the NYPD&#39;s blue uniforms was a popular chant. The recent spree of police killings added to people&#39;s anger. Many raised chants and slogans around the case of Amadou Diallo, am unarmed African immigrant murdered by NYPD. Diallo was shot 41 times.&#xA;&#xA;#NewYorkNY #News #KuKluxKlan #MayorGiuliani #AmadouDiallo&#xA;&#xA;div id=&#34;sharingbuttons.io&#34;/div]]&gt;</description>
      <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New York, NY – Nearly 10,000 outraged demonstrators overwhelmed a Ku Klux Klan march, October 23. Following a long series of court battles, the Klan was permitted to march in downtown Manhatten&#39;s, Foley Square. The American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan anticipated 200 people in their ranks. Only 16 showed up.</p>



<p>Mayor Giuliani and the NYPD went all out to protect the Klan from anti-racist demonstrators. More than 100 cops were mobilized. Police snipers were on the rooftops of four adjacent buildings. Protesters were manhandled into cramped pens, in an attempt to control protester&#39;s movements</p>

<p>Despite the NYPD&#39;s efforts, one anti-racist, a high school counselor from Brooklyn, was able to get through police lines and punch the Klan&#39;s Grand Dragon in the face.</p>

<p>Throughout the afternoon there were confrontations with the police. “Blue Klux Klan”, a reference to the NYPD&#39;s blue uniforms was a popular chant. The recent spree of police killings added to people&#39;s anger. Many raised chants and slogans around the case of Amadou Diallo, am unarmed African immigrant murdered by NYPD. Diallo was shot 41 times.</p>

<p><a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:NewYorkNY" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">NewYorkNY</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:News" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">News</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:KuKluxKlan" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">KuKluxKlan</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:MayorGiuliani" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">MayorGiuliani</span></a> <a href="https://fightbacknews.org/tag:AmadouDiallo" class="hashtag"><span>#</span><span class="p-category">AmadouDiallo</span></a></p>

<div id="sharingbuttons.io" id="sharingbuttons.io"></div>
]]></content:encoded>
      <guid>https://fightbacknews.org/nynoklan</guid>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:21:10 +0000</pubDate>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>