As an estimated 20,000 people turned out in Boston to march against white supremacist hate, the originally planned “free speech” rally in the same city appears to have been a massive failure.
It was so bad, in fact, that the small number of right-wing demonstrators that turned out in Boston Common closed up shop early, according to local reporting.
Some at ‘Free Speech Rally’ have left bandstand on Boston Common, @SharmanTV reports. Latest details now on 7News: https://t.co/94l5yt8Jc3 pic.twitter.com/511RdFnQno
— 7News Boston WHDH (@7News) August 19, 2017
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“Free Speech Rally has Ended”. Did it ever actually even begin? h/t @boston25 https://t.co/X70UJXUhls pic.twitter.com/eu6GLQAJDc
— Nick Short 🇺🇸 (@PoliticalShort) August 19, 2017
Sounds like the #Nazis in #Boston decided they couldn’t handle #BostonStrong ! @CNN @MSNBC not on it, but local tv says this: pic.twitter.com/8ZAJk5Nqnd
— Lynn Hall, Ph.D. (@doclynn) August 19, 2017
According to pictures on the ground, the number of people marching in the right-wing rally was embarrassingly small, with one reporter on MSNBC noting that only two dozen decked out in Trump gear turned out.
When faced with the 20,000 counter-protesters reportedly in Boston, the “free speech” activists likely figured there was no point in being there.
The “Free Speech” Rally appears to be a small group of about 50-100 people #bostoncommon pic.twitter.com/u2JfmXOTL5
— The Dialectic (@dialecticsite) August 19, 2017
30 Nazi’s leave
THOUSANDS of people flood the streets of Boston all protesting Trump, Nazis, White Supremacy and overall HATE. pic.twitter.com/cT4Ky6Lfa6
— Jack Kreuzer (@JackKreuzer) August 19, 2017
Crowd erupted in cheers as the rally ended and free speech group – barley 20 people – were escorted out of the park
— Meghan Barr (@meghanbarr) August 19, 2017
While last weekend’s demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia were defined by chaos, hatred, and violence, the march in Boston on Saturday couldn’t have been more different, when thousands of Americans of all backgrounds gathered to speak out against white supremacist hatred.
Note to right-wing demonstrators planning the next “free speech” event: It’s only a rally if people show up for it.
Picture via Twitter user @dialecticsite
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
