| Formation | December 2016; 8 years ago (2016-12) |
|---|---|
| Type | Coalition,communist,front group |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Location | |
| Methods | Nonviolent resistance,Civil disobedience,political protest |
Key people | Sunsara Taylor,Carl Dix, Andy Zee,Cornel West, Paul Street. |
Main organ | Advisory board |
Parent organization | RCP |
| Website | refusefascism |
Refuse Fascism is a U.S.-basedanti-fascist coalition organization, led by theRevolutionary Communist Party, USA. Until the2020 United States presidential election, it was characterized by its call for the removal of thefirst Trump administration by non-violent street protests.[1] Since the election, it has counter-demonstrated at a series ofpro-Trump events.
Refuse Fascism was formed by a broad ad-hoc coalition of leftists, liberals, intellectuals, artists, and activists including members of theRevolutionary Communist Party (RCP), after the 2016 election.[1] The RCP has said they issued the call to action which launched the group.[2] Responding to the call, an emergency meeting which officially launched the group was convened at the Great Hall atCooper Union inNew York City, featuring speeches fromSunsara Taylor,Immortal Technique,PZ Myers,Carl Dix, andJeremy Scahill, among others. Statements of support were sent fromGloria Steinem andChase Iron Eyes.
Refuse Fascism has been described as having "ties" with or "linked to" the RCP.[3][4] Spokespeople for Refuse Fascism includeSunsara Taylor[1][5] andCarl Dix.[6][3][4] The group partially operates out of the RCP's Revolution bookshop on 132nd Street in Harlem[5] and shares a mailing address on West Broadway withThe World Can't Wait.[7]
Refuse Fascism organizes around issues affecting groups includingMuslims,women,LGBTQ people,black andLatino people,children and theelderly.[8] In August 2017, Refuse Fascism organizers identified themselves asanti-fascists but differentiated themselves from "Antifa".[9] They also distinguished themselves from other groups opposed toDonald Trump such as theIndivisible movement, which engage inelectoral politics.[9]
In January 2017, prior toTrump's inauguration, Refuse Fascism member Ted Sirota argued that Trump exhibitedfascist "character traits", and argued that the most dangerous aspect ofTrump's current presidency would be the alliance "between his unbridled capitalism and theChristian fascism of [Vice President]Mike Pence".[10]
The group advocates Trump's removal from office byconstitutional methods (including theTwenty-fifth Amendment) and identifies theArab Spring and the protests leading to theimpeachment of formerPresident of South KoreaPark Geun-hye in March 2017 as evidence of the effectiveness of protests.[9] Members share a disbelief in the ability of theDemocratic Party's capacity to stop Trump and a commitment todirect action.[9] Refuse Fascism member Rafael Kadaris said in July 2017: "There's a lot of people hoping that Democrats somehow intervene or one of these investigations. The idea we that we can rely on people in theFBI or Democratic party is a dangerous illusion."[8]
Refuse Fascism spokespersonSunsara Taylor said that the group opposed Trump and Pence because
Trump has openly promotedwhite supremacy, encouragedpolice brutality and brought backmandatory sentencing. He has demonized and unleashed terror against immigrants and torn thousands from their families. HisMuslim ban is largely in effect. Trump has threatened the courts and the press. The Trump/Pence regime has muzzled scientists, accelerated the destruction of the environment and threatened the world with nuclear annihilation. Pence opposes abortion in all circumstances and would completely deny the rights of LGBTQ people.[11]
Refuse Fascism organizesnon-violent protests.[1] In January 2017 Refuse Fascism participated in theDisruptJ20 protests on the day of Trump's inauguration and theairport protests againstExecutive Order 13769, which suspended entry to the U.S. by nationals of seven countries.[5]
In July 2017, Refuse Fascism members were present at theImpeachment March events, which called for theU.S. Congress to begin the process ofimpeaching Trump.[5] Also in July, Refuse Fascism organized demonstrations in several cities,[8] includingLos Angeles[12] andSan Francisco.[8] Kadaris expressed hope that these demonstrations would "create a legitimacy crisis" affecting Trump's presidency.[8]
In August 2017, following theUnite the Right rally inCharlottesville, Virginia, the Los Angeles branch of Refuse Fascism organized a march which began atLos Angeles City Hall.[13][14] Refuse Fascism member Michelle Xai said the purpose of the demonstration was "to say, 'No, we're not going to normalize these Nazis and how they feel emboldened.'"[14] Refuse Fascism groups also helped to organize a march to theTrump International Hotel and Tower inChicago on the same day,[15] and organized a march toTrump Tower in New York City.[16][17]Carl Dix, a member of Refuse Fascism, said the events in Charlottesville were a "direct outgrowth of the Trump/Pence fascist regime" and said "These fascists are serious. And we must wake up and confront them with resistance that is just as serious."[17]
Refuse Fascism was involved in organizing several demonstrations inBerkeley, California in September 2017: a protest against a speech by the conservative political commentatorBen Shapiro at theUniversity of California, Berkeley on September 12;[18] a "March Against White Supremacy", which was addressed byChelsea Manning, on September 23;[19] and a demonstration against a planned "Free Speech Week" which involved a brief occupation ofWheeler Hall, on September 25.[20] Also in September, Refuse Fascism–Houston was one of several groups involved in organizing a protest in support of theDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and in opposition to Trump's rescission of the program.[21]
In October 2017 Refuse Fascism members protested panelists at an event oncivil discourse andhate speech at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles. One member criticized panelists for normalizing Trump's presidency by discussinghate speech in the abstract.[22]
News media reported in September 2017 that Refuse Fascism was organizing a series of nonviolent protests against the Trump administration, which began on November 4, 2017.[23] Conferences were held inAustin, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in August 2017 in preparation for the protests.[9][24]
Protestors carrying signs reading "NOV 4 IT BEGINS" blocked traffic onU.S. Route 101, nearAlameda Street in Los Angeles, on September 26, 2017.[25]
The road blockade and the planned protests became the subject of aconspiracy theory alleging that anti-fascist groups were planning to foment a civil war in the United States.[4][26][27][28][29] In September and October 2017 the claims were reported in multiple articles and broadcasts byInfoWars, by theJohn Birch Society's publicationThe New American, and byRichard Spencer'sAltright.com website.[26] In October 2017, the conspiracy theoristFrank Gaffney and author and activistTrevor Loudon accused Refuse Fascism of inciting, or conspiring to incite, riots across state lines, and called for the federal government to intervene.[30] Later in October, the far-right blogThe Gateway Pundit published an article byLucian Wintrich claiming an "antifa leader" had pledged to "behead white parents" on November 4.[4][31] The article was shared onFacebook more than 40,000 times.[31] Wintrich subsequently distanced himself from the article.[4] Also in October 2017, rumors circulated claiming that theU.S. Department of Defense (DOD) had scheduled apower outage for November 4. Although the DOD intended to conduct a training exercise that day alongside theAmerican Radio Relay League, an event that had been held quarterly since 2013, theelectrical grid was never planned to be turned off.[32][33][34][35] As of October 25, 2017,YouTube videos warning of plans for a civil war had been viewed millions of times;[36] and as of November 2 aviral video entitled "Officer Warns: Antifa To Declare Civil War On Whites Before Year End" had been shared over 55,000 times on Facebook.[5] The conspiracy theory has led to threats to attack the demonstrations and to murder anti-fascists.[26]
Taylor said of the claims: "What they're saying is completely false. They're blatant lies, and they're creating and intending to intimidate people who want to stand up to the Trump/Pence regime. It's concerning that these lies are being spread and that they're unleashing threats."[36] Taylor also said that the response "lets us know we've struck a chord, and they recognize the strength of what we are doing."[37] Spencer Sunshine ofPolitical Research Associates argued in October 2017 that "the conspiracy is being used to encourage Far Right activists to harm non-violent Leftist protestors" and that "The organizing function of these 'looming war' narratives serves to motivate the Far Right base, rather than function as actual predictions."[26] Adi Robertson ofThe Verge wrote on November 3 that "It doesn't necessarily matter how much anyone believes tomorrow's nationwide protest is a civil war—the point is that some people are hoping it will become one."[38]
On November 4, 2017, Refuse Fascism held non-violent demonstrations in New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and other cities, in which over 4,000 people attended nationwide.[39][40][41]
In March 2020, in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Refuse Fascism issued an expanded set of demands, including that the government "[p]rovide aid and protection for humanity globally, not just for Americans, based on international cooperation, not competition," the immediate release of all nonviolent offenders from prison andICE detention centers, the provision ofpersonal protective equipment for all healthcare workers, mass testing, and the provision of ventilators and hospital beds for ICUs, in addition to the overriding demand of the "immediate" removal of Trump and Pence from office.[42]
In late September 2020, Refuse Fascism organized nationwide marches "Against Death, Lies and Fascism" as America neared 200,000COVID-19 deaths.[43]
