On November 6, around 20-30 members of the National Socialist movement including the Ku Klux Klan and Traditionalist Worker Party held a rally at the capitol in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. These fascists were confronted by hundreds of anti-fascist protesters. Liberation News spoke to members of Central PA Antifa to learn more about this action.
In attendance of the protest was the chairman of the Traditionalist Worker Party, Matthew Heimbach. Heimbach is known as the 21st century David Duke and the new face of white supremacy and fascism. TWP is known for having held a rally at the capitol in Sacramento, California along with the Sacramento Spartans and Golden State Skinheads. There they were driven away by hundreds of antifascists, though not until the racists brutally stabbed eight young counter-protesters who had to be hospitalized.
The fascist rally in Harrisburg was planned to begin at 2 pm and end at 4 pm. The National Socialist Movement obtained a permit to host the rally at the stairs on the capitol with full police protection and a barricade. It seems that white supremacists knew they would not be welcome in Harrisburg.
Antifascists gathered nearby around 12:30 pm and proceeded to march to the capitol at 1:00 pm. By the time the rally started, there were nearly 200-250 counter protesters. Dozens of police officers on horses were positioned directly in front of the counterprotesters to prevent them from rushing to the capitol with even more officers in riot gear in front of the fascists to protect them from the antifascists.
As the rally started, a National Socialist Movement member walked up to a podium with a microphone and was instantly drowned by anti-fascist chants. It was evident the fascists were not welcome in Harrisburg! The fascists were pelted with eggs, firecrackers and small objects. A few counterprotesters at different times tried to breach to barricade, but were stopped by the police. Eventually, the barricade was breached and police in riot gear rushed over in an attempt to stifle the counterprotesters and protect the fascists.
A total of three arrests were made during the rally. One arrest occurred after a fascist punched an anti-fascist and the police arrested the victim. The fascist who threw the punch was a man by the name of Eric Starr, whose step-father is a local judge in Harrisburg. Altogether there were three arrests but none were booked, all were given disorderly conduct citations.
“The event was a resounding success, since the media coverage focused on our group primarily, and the fascists were unable to be heard over the chanting, drumming, and profanities being shouted at them,” a member of Central PA Antifa told Liberation. There were no major injuries and no major property damage besides a barricade falling on a car door.
This rally is just one of many rallies and demonstrations held by white supremacist groups in the past year and a half. White supremacy is on the rise largely due to the Donald Trump presidential campaign. All these white supremacist groups including TWP, NSM, KKK and Identity Evropa endorsed Donald Trump for President and David Duke, known white supremacist, Holocaust denier and formal Imperial Wizard of the KKK, for Senate in Louisiana. As racist groups have grown so too has a counter movement for social justice opposed to these racist forces. The only way for the people to defeat fascism or racism is to continue and build a mass movement of people opposed to and ready to protest racism.
