The Boston Free Speech Rally[1] took place at the Boston Common on August 19, 2017.[2][3][4] The organizers and participants were characterized as adherents of the alt-lite, a loosely organized right-wing political movement. Around 50 people attended the rally, and they were met by tens of thousands of counterprotesters.[5][6]
Though the rally itself had been planned weeks in advance, it was ultimately eclipsed by the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12.[6] More than 30 people were injured at the Charlottesville rally following violent clashes between protesters and counterprotesters,[11][12] and a woman was killed and 35 others were injured after a white supremacist rammed his car into a group of counterprotesters.[13] The events in Charlottesville drew concern among Boston officials that the Free Speech Rally might see similar violence; as such, Invictus, who had attended the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally, was asked by rally organizers not to appear "from a PR standpoint", and McInnes and Fairbanks withdrew as speakers.[9][10]
Eventedit
Counterprotesters gather in the Boston Common to oppose the rally
The city deployed more than 500 police officers to the event, which was held at the Parkman Bandstand.[14] Police erected barricades and blocked streets near the rally, and weapons of any kind were banned.[8][15][16]
The rally ended early, and all rally attendees left by 1:00 pm.[17] Most of the planned speeches did not take place.[18] Police maintained a gap of 35–40 yards between the rally and counterprotesters; due to this and lack of any amplification, only those within the bandstand could hear the speeches.[19][20] Samson Racioppi, who was scheduled to speak, said "I really think it was supposed to be a good event by the organizers, but it kind of fell apart".[21] No members of the press were allowed to report from the bandstand.[22]
Meanwhile, whereas the rally drew only a handful of attendees, between 30,000 and 40,000 people participated in the counterprotest march from Roxbury to the Boston Common. The event was largely peaceful, with no injuries reported as of the afternoon of August 19.[17][23] 33 people were arrested, largely for disorderly conduct. There were a few arrests for assaults on police officers.[24] During a news conference in the afternoon of August 19, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans said that some rocks and bottles filled with urine had been thrown at police officers but that overall there was "very little injury and property damage".[21]
Legacyedit
According to The Boston Globe in February 2021, "Even though few came to support the Free Speech Rally, it fueled the alt-right movement in Boston".[25] The organizers of the rally ultimately joined Resist Marxism, a far-right organization founded by Kyle Chapman. Following bad publicity stemming from the revelation of internal conversations showing the group using racist and antisemitic slurs and rhetoric, and fantasizing about attacking leftist activists, Resist Marxism disbanded.[25][26] Many of its members ultimately joined Super Happy Fun America, which has been described as a "front" for Resist Marxism.[25][27]
^Glum, Julia (August 19, 2017). "Boston Free Speech Rally Ends Early After 15K Counter-Protesters Drown It Out". Newsweek.
^Sanchez, Ray (August 19, 2017). "Thousands march in Boston in protest of controversial rally". CNN. from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^DeCosta-Klipa, Nik; Dwyer, Dialynn; Waller, John (August 15, 2017). "What we know about the 'free speech' rally on Boston Common". Boston.com. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^Keneally, Meghan; Katersky, Aaron (August 18, 2017). "Boston ready for 'free speech' rally but 'we don't want hate groups'". ABC News. from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^ ab"Boston "free speech" rally ends after counter-protesters take to streets". CBS News. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^Irons, Meghan E. (August 15, 2017). "Who is the Boston Free Speech Coalition behind Saturday's rally?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^ abMalone, Scott (August 18, 2017). "Roadblocks, Weapons Bans as Boston Braces for 'Free Speech' Rally". Reuters. from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
^ abLevenson, Michael (August 14, 2017). "Speakers at 'free speech' rally dropping out". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^ abJanik, Rachel (August 15, 2017). "Holocaust denier Augustus Invictus announces another campaign for the U.S. Senate". Southern Poverty Law Center. from the original on August 19, 2017.
^"Hospitals: 30 treated after Aug. 12 car attack". The Daily Progress. August 21, 2017. from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^Yan, Holly; Sayers, Devon M.; Almasy, Steve (August 14, 2017). "Charlottesville white nationalist rally: What we know". CNN. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
^Duggan, Paul (December 11, 2018). "James A. Fields Jr. sentenced to life in prison in Charlottesville car attack". The Washington Post.
^Pratt, Mark (August 18, 2017). . Time. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"Boston Free Speech Rally Permit Approved". CBS Boston. August 16, 2017. from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^"After Charlottesville, Boston aims to avert violence at 'Free Speech' rally". CNBC. Reuters. August 19, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
^ abLowery, Wesley; Pazzanese, Christina (August 19, 2017). "Boston 'free speech' rally ends early amid flood of protesters; 27 people arrested". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^Betancourt, Sarah (August 19, 2017). "Trump attacks Boston counter-protesters as 'anti-police agitators'". The Guardian. from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^Healy, Beth (August 19, 2017). "'Free speech' rally speakers, little heard, end event quickly". The Boston Globe. from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
^Caban, Antonio (August 21, 2017). "Boston 'Free Speech' Rally Organizer John Medlar Criticizes Rally Setup And Promises Future Events". WGBH. from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
^ abJacobo, Julia; Shapiro, Emily; Shiff, Blair (August 19, 2017). "Dozens arrested, few injured as 40,000 protesters descend on Boston". ABC News. from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
^Swasey, Benjamin (August 19, 2017). "'Free Speech' Rally Is Ended Early As Protesters Descend On The Common". WBUR. from the original on August 19, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
^"Boston march against right-wing rally draws thousands". BBC News. August 20, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
^Boston Police Department [@bostonpolice] (August 19, 2017). "#BPDUpdate: BPD reports additional arrests from today. New total for arrests = 33" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ abcLum, Shelby (February 21, 2021). The history of Super Happy Fun America in Boston (Video). The Boston Globe.
^Barnes, Luke (May 18, 2018). "Exclusive: Leaks show how Boston 'free speech' group acts as a front for far-right organizing". ThinkProgress. from the original on May 18, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
^Sommer, Will (June 5, 2019). "Boston's Straight Pride Parade Is Even Worse Than You Think". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
External linksedit
Media related to Boston Free Speech rally at Wikimedia Commons
December 18, 2023
boston, free, speech, rally, took, place, boston, common, august, 2017, organizers, participants, were, characterized, adherents, lite, loosely, organized, right, wing, political, movement, around, people, attended, rally, they, were, tens, thousands, counterp. The Boston Free Speech Rally 1 took place at the Boston Common on August 19 2017 2 3 4 The organizers and participants were characterized as adherents of the alt lite a loosely organized right wing political movement Around 50 people attended the rally and they were met by tens of thousands of counterprotesters 5 6 Boston Free Speech RallyBoston Free Speech rally attendees in the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston CommonDateAugust 19 2017VenueBoston CommonLocationBoston Massachusetts U S A Coordinates42 21 18 N 71 03 56 W 42 35500 N 71 06556 W 42 35500 71 06556Arrests33 Contents 1 Background 2 Event 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksBackground editThe rally was organized by John Medlar and others in the Boston Free Speech Coalition 7 It was intended to feature Kyle Chapman Joe Biggs Shiva Ayyadurai and Samson Racioppi as speakers 8 9 as well as Gavin McInnes conservative activist Cassandra Fairbanks and Holocaust denier Augustus Sol Invictus 10 Though the rally itself had been planned weeks in advance it was ultimately eclipsed by the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville Virginia on August 12 6 More than 30 people were injured at the Charlottesville rally following violent clashes between protesters and counterprotesters 11 12 and a woman was killed and 35 others were injured after a white supremacist rammed his car into a group of counterprotesters 13 The events in Charlottesville drew concern among Boston officials that the Free Speech Rally might see similar violence as such Invictus who had attended the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally was asked by rally organizers not to appear from a PR standpoint and McInnes and Fairbanks withdrew as speakers 9 10 Event edit nbsp Counterprotesters gather in the Boston Common to oppose the rallyThe city deployed more than 500 police officers to the event which was held at the Parkman Bandstand 14 Police erected barricades and blocked streets near the rally and weapons of any kind were banned 8 15 16 The rally ended early and all rally attendees left by 1 00 pm 17 Most of the planned speeches did not take place 18 Police maintained a gap of 35 40 yards between the rally and counterprotesters due to this and lack of any amplification only those within the bandstand could hear the speeches 19 20 Samson Racioppi who was scheduled to speak said I really think it was supposed to be a good event by the organizers but it kind of fell apart 21 No members of the press were allowed to report from the bandstand 22 Meanwhile whereas the rally drew only a handful of attendees between 30 000 and 40 000 people participated in the counterprotest march from Roxbury to the Boston Common The event was largely peaceful with no injuries reported as of the afternoon of August 19 17 23 33 people were arrested largely for disorderly conduct There were a few arrests for assaults on police officers 24 During a news conference in the afternoon of August 19 Boston Police Commissioner William B Evans said that some rocks and bottles filled with urine had been thrown at police officers but that overall there was very little injury and property damage 21 Legacy editAccording to The Boston Globe in February 2021 Even though few came to support the Free Speech Rally it fueled the alt right movement in Boston 25 The organizers of the rally ultimately joined Resist Marxism a far right organization founded by Kyle Chapman Following bad publicity stemming from the revelation of internal conversations showing the group using racist and antisemitic slurs and rhetoric and fantasizing about attacking leftist activists Resist Marxism disbanded 25 26 Many of its members ultimately joined Super Happy Fun America which has been described as a front for Resist Marxism 25 27 See also editRadical right United States Radical left United States References edit Glum Julia August 19 2017 Boston Free Speech Rally Ends Early After 15K Counter Protesters Drown It Out Newsweek Sanchez Ray August 19 2017 Thousands march in Boston in protest of controversial rally CNN Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Retrieved August 19 2017 DeCosta Klipa Nik Dwyer Dialynn Waller John August 15 2017 What we know about the free speech rally on Boston Common Boston com Retrieved August 19 2017 Keneally Meghan Katersky Aaron August 18 2017 Boston ready for free speech rally but we don t want hate groups ABC News Archived from the original on August 18 2017 Retrieved August 20 2017 Owen Tess August 19 2017 How Boston s massive free speech rally fell apart Vice News Retrieved August 20 2017 a b Boston free speech rally ends after counter protesters take to streets CBS News Retrieved August 19 2017 Irons Meghan E August 15 2017 Who is the Boston Free Speech Coalition behind Saturday s rally The Boston Globe Retrieved August 19 2017 a b Malone Scott August 18 2017 Roadblocks Weapons Bans as Boston Braces for Free Speech Rally Reuters Archived from the original on September 7 2017 Retrieved November 7 2021 a b Levenson Michael August 14 2017 Speakers at free speech rally dropping out The Boston Globe Retrieved August 20 2017 a b Janik Rachel August 15 2017 Holocaust denier Augustus Invictus announces another campaign for the U S Senate Southern Poverty Law Center Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Hospitals 30 treated after Aug 12 car attack The Daily Progress August 21 2017 Archived from the original on August 21 2017 Retrieved November 26 2017 Yan Holly Sayers Devon M Almasy Steve August 14 2017 Charlottesville white nationalist rally What we know CNN Retrieved November 26 2017 Duggan Paul December 11 2018 James A Fields Jr sentenced to life in prison in Charlottesville car attack The Washington Post Pratt Mark August 18 2017 Boston Braces for Free Speech Rally We Will Not Tolerate Violence Time Archived from the original on August 18 2017 Retrieved August 19 2017 Boston Free Speech Rally Permit Approved CBS Boston August 16 2017 Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Retrieved August 19 2017 After Charlottesville Boston aims to avert violence at Free Speech rally CNBC Reuters August 19 2017 Retrieved November 8 2021 a b Lowery Wesley Pazzanese Christina August 19 2017 Boston free speech rally ends early amid flood of protesters 27 people arrested The Washington Post Retrieved August 19 2017 Betancourt Sarah August 19 2017 Trump attacks Boston counter protesters as anti police agitators The Guardian Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Retrieved August 19 2017 Healy Beth August 19 2017 Free speech rally speakers little heard end event quickly The Boston Globe Archived from the original on August 20 2017 Retrieved November 7 2021 Caban Antonio August 21 2017 Boston Free Speech Rally Organizer John Medlar Criticizes Rally Setup And Promises Future Events WGBH Archived from the original on March 18 2019 Retrieved November 7 2021 a b Jacobo Julia Shapiro Emily Shiff Blair August 19 2017 Dozens arrested few injured as 40 000 protesters descend on Boston ABC News Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Retrieved August 20 2017 Swasey Benjamin August 19 2017 Free Speech Rally Is Ended Early As Protesters Descend On The Common WBUR Archived from the original on August 19 2017 Retrieved November 7 2021 Boston march against right wing rally draws thousands BBC News August 20 2017 Retrieved November 7 2021 Boston Police Department bostonpolice August 19 2017 BPDUpdate BPD reports additional arrests from today New total for arrests 33 Tweet via Twitter a b c Lum Shelby February 21 2021 The history of Super Happy Fun America in Boston Video The Boston Globe Barnes Luke May 18 2018 Exclusive Leaks show how Boston free speech group acts as a front for far right organizing ThinkProgress Archived from the original on May 18 2018 Retrieved May 5 2020 Sommer Will June 5 2019 Boston s Straight Pride Parade Is Even Worse Than You Think The Daily Beast Retrieved May 5 2020 External links edit nbsp Media related to Boston Free Speech rally at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boston Free Speech Rally amp oldid 1188507394, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
