Can an entire city turn out to say no to hate? With multiple venues to counter the so-called alt-right’s “Patriot Prayer” event this Saturday, San Francisco seems ready to give as many people as possible a chance to create a show of force with art, music, dance, prayer, and fund-raising.
While white nationalists hope Crissy Field affords them a “Man In the High Castle” photo-op in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, there will also be a public-art counterpunch: The group behind the San Francisco Women’s March in January is planning a heart-shaped human banner across the sand at Ocean Beach, to be photographed by helicopter.
Together We Will’s Renee McKenna, the lead organizer of the Women’s March, says the beach rally will take place at the same time as the white-nationalist rally. “We want to draw attention away from the Crissy Field event,” notes McKenna, an artist, therapist, and teacher who lives with her family in the Sunset, “as well as ensure that folks have a safe, positive, family-friendly place to bring their bodies where their beliefs are and stand in community for diversity and social justice.”
The beach venue gives people one more place to gather, in addition to Harvey Milk Plaza, Dolores Park, Civic Center, and more — a deliberate attempt not just to draw attention away from the nationalists, but to avoid at all costs the confrontation and violence that led to death and injuries in Charlottesville, Va. Given federal and California gun laws, some marchers could be carrying concealed weapons, the San Francisco Examiner reported.
The more venues, the better, says McKenna, to “support more people getting involved.” When she started on the Women’s March — her first go at public organizing — the original plan was a single rally in Oakland. “Ultimately we decided that many marches would allow people to connect in their own community.”
Facebook groups have popped up to encourage all sorts of counterprotest: car-jamming the alt-right by filling all the Crissy Field parking spaces early Saturday; showing up in clown regalia; even leaving the Crissy Field grass strewn with dog poop. There will no doubt be counterprotesters looking for a fight, but the carnival of nonviolent options (hey, it’s San Francisco, we like a full menu) is what McKenna has in mind.
“The fact that there are so many different ways to express your beliefs in response to the hate and horror of the past few weeks,” adds McKenna, “speaks to the growing groundswell of citizens activated to stand for inclusion, love, and valuing all humans.”
Alex Lash is the editor in chief of The Frisc.
