On Sunday, April 11, White Lives Matter-themed rallies were supposed to have organically sprung up around the country. According to online flyers viewed by Mashable that were posted on a public Telegram channel, the marches were being billed as a “March for White Lives” and called on people to “take a stand against the anti-white mob, media, [and] government.” There are events scheduled across the country for the day’s events.
A group of antifascists who found their way into private “White Lives Matter” groups on the messaging service Telegram uncovered a slew of organizers from white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys. Members of various Neo-Nazi organizations and other hate groups, such as the Nationalist Social Club and New Jersey European Heritage Association, were also outed in these private groups.
Huntington Beach police are planning a ramped-up presence on Sunday in the event of a potential square-off between attendees at a planned “White Lives Matter” rally and counter-protesters.
Police would not provide specifics about their plans to monitor the rally, other than to say “increased staffing of public safety personnel” is expected.
“There will be a large contingent of police officers working in the area, along with various assets including a regional mounted unit and aviation assets,” Huntington Beach Police Lt. Brian Smith said. “Additional resources from allied agencies will also be on standby should the need arise, which is common practice for large planned events, including sporting events, community events, rallies and protests.”
Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, said the sheriff has pledged his mounted patrol units to help with crowd control and law enforcement. Investigators were also monitoring online chatter to see if there will be similar protests elsewhere, Braun said.
The rally, which is believed to be part of a nationally coordinated group of white supremacist protests planned across the country in various cities, is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Huntington Beach Pier. Black Lives Matter activists have scheduled a counterprotest at the pier beginning at 11 a.m.
The planned events come at a time when anti-Asian bigotry is on the rise during the pandemic and local communities including Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Villa Park have been papered with fliers advertising the Ku Klux Klan.
A group of antifascists who found their way into private “White Lives Matter” groups on the messaging service Telegram uncovered a slew of organizers from white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys. Members of various Neo-Nazi organizations and other hate groups, such as the Nationalist Social Club and New Jersey European Heritage Association, were also outed in these private groups.
“This is grassroot and no groups are affiliated,” reads a message on a public Telegram group for White Lives Matter.
Well, that might be what they’re saying in the public group but it’s just not true.
The leaked chats, which were first obtained by The Daily Beast and Vice, contain multiple conversations concerning hiding the white supremacist ideologies and groups behind the White Lives Matter events.
“It shouldn’t have to be said, but if your profile picture has swastikas, iron crosses or any other symbols that is commonly associated with the NS movement, consider removing them,” read one leaked chat message from a Michigan-based Proud Boy. “They will only give legitimacy to the insults our enemies throw at us to discredit this movement.”
“While the [Orange County ] NAACP applauds the efforts of peaceful protest nationwide,” the statement read, “we would never impede anyone’s right to freedom of speech.”
The Black Lives Matter Global Network appears also to have taken the suggestion of a counter-protest with a pinch of salt:
