Fighting White Supremacy with Melinda Tuhus

Beyond Extreme Energy organizer Melinda Tuhus will be leading a conference call on an experience she had working against white supremacy in New Haven, CT.  This call is open to everyone, regardless of past, present, or future involvement with Beyond Extreme Energy.

“On July 8, about 150 anti-racist activists came to the New Haven Green to shut down a planned rally featuring the leader of the Proud Boys, Augustus Invictus. He never showed up and only a handful of Proud Boys came to the Green. The anti-white supremacists were a mix of SURJ members, generally progressive New Haven activists, and local and out of town antifas. Although SURJ members said there had been an agreement with antifas to keep 15 feet away from the Proud Boys and to shout them down, some antifas (especially a few from out of town) physically attacked a couple of them. When the police massively intervened, they ended up arresting two white out of town antifas and two local African American activists, who had merely tried to talk to the Proud Boys.

The SURJ member identified as the leader got death threats and a lot of criticism from other SURJ members. Some of the local antifa said they had never agreed to the non-violence guidelines. At a follow-up SURJ meeting the question was asked why we partnered with a white group (antifa) when we say we exist to respond to the requests of POC (groups or individuals) for solidarity. The progressive New Haven community is supporting the local activists as they go to court. There is not agreement on how much to support the folks arrested for assaulting people.

Questions raised include if and how to support anyone arrested during a political action; how to support anti-racist activists who may not make the best decisions rather than criticize them, and how to work (form united front) with people with whom we have serious disagreements but also with whom we agree on larger goals.”