About 45 people gathered on Friday afternoon at a “Refuse Fascism” protest held in one of Atlanta’s neighborhoods, about 20 minutes away from City Hall. Members of the group have been out with signs and chants every weeknight for about an hour since June 4th.
“After George Floyd was murdered, I knew I had to get out here,” a woman with silver curly hair told me. “I sent out a text to some friends and it grew, and well, here we are. I don’t think of it as mine — it’s ours.”
“The response has been heartwarming. It’s the best part of my day.”
It wasn’t about the election, she said, but she feels optimistic that Georgia went blue.
“We’ll be out here for as long as it takes,” she continued.
It being, I was told, justice for George Floyd and the other victims of racially-motivated violence. More than 150 Black people have been killed in police shootings this year.
“No one really knew each other when this all started,” another attendee told me. “It grew just by seeing people out. I like to think that we did a small part in getting people to vote.”
A second protest, entitled the “Stop the Coup” protest (unconnected with the Refuse Fascism group) was planned for 6:30pm at City Hall. About 30 twenty-something activists gathered to march from City Hall to the State Farm Arena, where #StopTheSteal protests had been held earlier that day.
Attendees chanted protest songs during the twenty-minute march through downtown Atlanta, including chants such as “Say His Name / George Floyd” and “Tell me what democracy looks like / this is what democracy looks like.”
Attitudes were charged as Georgia’s electoral votes remained in the balance and election results were still undecided. But overall, the mood felt hopeful and action-oriented between the two protests, an understanding that whichever way the results go — there is still plenty of work to be done.
“I’ve been out here for months,” a woman told me at the “Refuse Fascism” protest. “I was out canvassing for cured ballots today, a good distraction from the election results.”
“I’m trying not to get too hopeful now but I’m feeling good,” she continued. “I woke up with a stomachache because of all of it, but no matter what happens, we will be out here fighting the good fight.”
[Editors Note]: It is here that I want to remind you of the premise of this project — we are more alike than different and most people are good. We the Voters is a non-partisan project; coverage of any group or event by We the Voters does not equal endorsement. As with all of my coverage in the past year, I hope it helps you gain a more full picture of the many pieces in the American puzzle.
Refuse Fascism Protest
Stop the Coup Protest
