Last Saturday, the big news wasn’t a right-wing rally in Boston that attracted a handful of people; it was the counter-protest, which the mayor estimated at some 40,000 people, some of whom decided to throw rocks and bottles of urine at cops since there were no Nazis about to punch.
This Saturday, an even smaller right-wing gathering that was supposed to take place in San Francisco — something called the Patriot Prayer rally — moved to a smaller venue, shrank to a press conference, and then disappeared entirely.
The Patriot Prayer Rally tomorrow has been CANCELED.
We will be having a press conference tomorrow in San Francisco, details to follow.— Patriot Prayer (@Patriot_Prayer) August 25, 2017
The press conference didn’t even happen.
San Francisco's Alamo Square shut down in advance of "Patriot Prayer" protest. Rally organizers have now cancelled their "news conference." pic.twitter.com/mbTvR1iRzS
— AJ+ (@ajplus) August 26, 2017
So the canceled Patriot Prayer rally, turned news conference, is now a Periscope live with Based Stickman and Joey Gibson…
— James Queally (@JamesQueallyLAT) August 26, 2017
Police have closed Alamo Square. If you want to punch Nazis in SF today you might need to go hunting. #PunchANazi
— Chris Reed (@animeraider) August 26, 2017
That didn’t stop counter-protesters, also known as “anti-hate” protesters, from converging on the site of the rally that didn’t happen. Police reportedly were kept busy trying to contain the crowd, which led to some friction between cops and the anti-hate crew.
Police confront protesters near SF's Alamo Square after right-wing event canceled https://t.co/trQP6QHifp via @SFGate
— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) August 26, 2017
One guess, if the other side didn't show up, guess who is doing all the protesting? Leftist, Communists, Socialists. ANTIFA, Democrats
— FeistyMonk (@FeistyMonk) August 26, 2017
Yep.
Despite canceled event, police stay on alert at Alamo Square https://t.co/YX92QAU3GE pic.twitter.com/U3vJX2Xk6H
— SFGate (@SFGate) August 26, 2017
Massive crowd, lots of police. San Francisco has come out in force right now
— Zac Conklin-Farrell (@zacconklin) August 26, 2017
There sure are a lot of people with the faces masked.
Crowds changing "El pueblo unido, will never be defeated" have been let through at Fillmore/Hayes. #AlamoSquare @KQEDnews pic.twitter.com/OVQua9eO3g
— Erika Aguilar (@erikaaaguilar) August 26, 2017
Big crowd at Fillmore and Hayes #sfrally pic.twitter.com/bPtkUJTfRf
— Will Carless (@willcarless) August 26, 2017
KTVU reporter Tara Moriarty took a lot of flak on social media for reporting that black bloc protesters had shown up, although the black face masks scattered throughout the crowd seem to indicate that some counter-protesters were ready for trouble.
Black Bloc protesters surround @SFPD at Hayes & Fillmore #SanFrancisco @SFCity_Hall @mayoredlee #KTVU pic.twitter.com/l6ErFNCyIy
— taramoriarty (@taramoriarty1) August 26, 2017
Without a Patriot Prayer rally to yell at, protesters were free to just yell.
In San Francisco, hundreds gather at an intersection near Alamo Square. Police are holding a barrier between crowds. "Let them through!" pic.twitter.com/ntFdQ0NSSu
— Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) August 26, 2017
Thousands of "anti-hate" protesters take over streets near #AlamoSquare #KTVU @SFPD @mayoredlee pic.twitter.com/ENZDO7OPyl
— taramoriarty (@taramoriarty1) August 26, 2017
Protesters take over Steiner and Hayes. Conservative Patriot Prayer nowhere to be found. #ABC7now pic.twitter.com/Pd6jbPWYFB
— Dan Noyes (@dannoyes) August 26, 2017
Mayor of the mission Roberto Hernandez says this is the start of a civil war. #ABC7now pic.twitter.com/FKqtKUE9Ey
— Dan Noyes (@dannoyes) August 26, 2017
New chant: "No hate. No fear. Nazis are not welcome here. " Alamo Square #LoveNotHate pic.twitter.com/1cp1CHSEm2
— DrDinD_im?him (@DrDinD) August 26, 2017
Little tense btwn SFPD and crowd at Alamo Square. Hearing PD want crowd to move to Hayes and Fillmore. pic.twitter.com/HemwnxnVgS
— Alex Emslie (@SFNewsReporter) August 26, 2017
Rally at Alamo Square, police containing at Hayes/Fillmore and Steiner between Fell and Hayes pic.twitter.com/MpBPLhpRCH
— rachelswan (@rachelswan) August 26, 2017
Turns out the (very small) Patriot Prayer group did speak to the media at another location than the one originally planned. If you listen to only one video in this post, make it this one:
#PatriotPrayer group talks to media in Pacifica #KTVU pic.twitter.com/inhFyr68nk
— taramoriarty (@taramoriarty1) August 26, 2017
#PatriotPrayer group answers questions about allegations of white supremacy #KTVU pic.twitter.com/0DfBSzpv0z
— taramoriarty (@taramoriarty1) August 26, 2017
These #PatriotPrayer people aren't even white. A mob of 99% white people shut them down and called them Nazis. What a joke. #AlamoSquare
— Sean Billings (@SeanJBillings) August 26, 2017
#PatriotPrayer group leaves #Pacifica park upon hearing the #Antifa is on its way #KTVU @sfpd pic.twitter.com/crq0elIUCU
— taramoriarty (@taramoriarty1) August 26, 2017
#PatriotPrayer organizers speaking quickly. Worried counter-protestors will find them @kron4news
— Justine Waldman (@JustineWaldman) August 26, 2017
Check out this headline from a Columbus, Ohio television station warning about possible violence at a right-wing rally — a rally that was canceled in favor of a press conference.
LIVE: San Francisco police are preparing for possible violence at a right wing rally https://t.co/hDFAHIbQQO pic.twitter.com/1cRTIEod8S
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) August 26, 2017
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Related:
Police ask many fine hardcore folks protesting in Boston to stop throwing urine, rocks at officers https://t.co/o2N0kU4N1z
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 19, 2017
