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From FireWorks

Yet another “patriot” group has emerged to promote a racist, fascist agenda in the United States, and they are calling for protesters to terrorize and intimidate Muslims in multiple communities across the country, including through the use of arms. The innocent sounding “Global Rally for Humanity,” which will take place Saturday, October 10th, is anything but.

White nationalism is on the rise in the United States, though many are still in denial. The signs are everywhere, from the ascent of Donald Trump as a serious candidate for president, to horrific acts of violence like the Charleston Church massacre. There has been significant backlash to calls in southern states for the removal of the confederate flag from state property. With the situation in the Middle East continuing to escalate, there has also been an upsurge in anti-Muslim propaganda. An especially disgusting focus has been on terrorizing refugees and migrants fleeing the war in Syria. With the emergence of serious asymmetric conflict between European neo-nazis and anarchists/antifa, the refugee crisis has become a battleground for partisans while the various states attempting to control the conflict. As this new form of civil war spreads across Europe, there is a very real possibility of the same occurring in North America and we may already be seeing the early sparks of such a fight. The recent arson attack at a Planned Parenthood in southern California is yet another example of the increasing boldness of the American right. The “Global Rally for Humanity” must be viewed in light of these events and therefore taken seriously.

As was first detailed in an article by Kalia Abiade, the group will stage aggressive and in some cases armed demonstrations at mosques, community centers, and governments building across the country. While never a threat to be taken lightly, this band of racists is off to a poor start, their main national representation consisting of little more than a Facebook page with horrendously poor graphics and presentation. The most current post contains instructions on how to set up a regional “rally,” which includes encouraging people to target their local mosque:

The group also appears to be encouraging protesters to be bring guns wherever open carry laws allow:

Despite feigning peaceful intentions, the imagery immediately makes clear the direct ties to two openly racist, militaristic hyper right-wing militia groups: the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.



These groups, especially the Oath Keepers, consist of both current and former law enforcement, military and first responders; not just your usual wannabe warriors, making them especially dangerous and also adept at navigating encounters with state authority. Both have a history of claiming to be patriotic, anti-federal activists fighting for “the people” and espousing pure “constitutionalism.”

The Oath Keepers in particular are much more active in the field.

From “defending” businesses against rioters and looters during the Ferguson uprising, to protecting the interests and property rights of horribly destructive right-wing ranchers and mine operators in rural areas of the western United States, actions speak louder than Facebook campaigns. The group collaborated with the racist Minuteman Project on its work to “defend” the United State’s southern border from immigrants. The organization also also sponsored a film arguing for a “militia system” (military dictatorship) in times of national emergency by far-right director James Jaeger whose websites feature antisemitic material. More recently the Oath Keepers gave a show of support for Kim Davis, offering to protect her as she faced federal charges for her refusal to issue marriage licenses.

Obviously aware of the notoriety their shameful behavior has attracted in recent years, the two groups are attempting to be slightly more PR savvy, with the predictably laughable results you’d expect. Besides the obvious militia links visible on the groups main page, many regional pages have sprung up across North America, a number of them visibly featuring confederate flags as their profile picture. They are overt about their agenda. America is a Christian nation and Islam is a “disease” that needs to be “stopped.”

There is ample posturing to be found that this is merely a protest movement against the Nation of Islam’s Million Man March 2015, which is occurring on the same day as the “Global Rally For Humanity,” and many pages also claim to be protesting so called “radical Islam” or ISIS. The obvious racist, white nationalist imagery and rhetoric to be found on most of the pages, as well as the clear sponsorship by two right wing militia groups proves this is an insidious lie to cover a much more vile agenda.

So far at least one counter-demo by Phoenix, Arizona antifa against a local rally is planned, and a call has been made for more counter demos to occur across the US. Even if you can not participate in countering this Islamophobic threat to our community physically, you can also let them know how you feel through one of their many Facebook event pages or websites.

For those of us here in the San Francisco Bay Area, there is unfortunately a local “Global Rally for Humanity” we must also contend with. While the event does not yet appear to have Facebook page, it is quietly listed on Meetup.com. It is planned for Saturday, October 10, 12:00pm at the Lake Merritt Gazebo, 666 Bellevue Ave, Oakland. The group also appears to be meeting in the same location this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday at the same time. The organizer of the event is a man named Jose Merida.

We call on all who oppose racism and Islamophobia to do what they can to fight back against this campaign of intimidation and threats against both the local and international Muslim community. While the danger posed by this gathering to Oakland may seem small, the context it exists in is anything but. Working against those bringing hate to our own backyard can be seen as a way to build our capacity towards taking on even larger and more experienced foes. Groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committe (AIPAC) present a massive challenge as powerful centers of logistical and financial support to global networks of Islamophobia and white supremacist activity. With the looming rise of the racist right in America, we must prepare and learn if we are to find our way in this difficult future.