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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 21 august 2017

Free speech supporters: Outnumbered, but rally was a success

By CRYSTAL HILL speakers and participants
Associated Press say coverage of the event
BOSTON (AP) — Support- has been mischaracterized
ers of a small, conservative and that it accomplished
“free speech rally” held its purpose — to talk about
Saturday in Boston said the importance of free
that despite being outnum- speech. “We were there
bered by tens of thousands to discuss the spectrum of
of counterprotesters, their American views,” said Dr.
event was a success. Shiva Ayyadurai, who gave
Demonstrators protesting the keynote at the rally.
against racism and white Ayyadurai, a Cambridge
supremacy had descend- technology entrepreneur
ed upon historic Boston who is seeking the GOP
Common, dwarfing the nomination to challenge
rally’s few dozen attend- Democratic U.S. Sen. Eliza-
ees and leading to what beth Warren, added that
appeared to be an abrupt the crowd was a politically
end of the event. Less than and racially diverse group
an hour after rallygoers ar- of mostly students.
rived, they were escorted In the days leading up to
out of the area by police, Saturday’s long-planned
as boisterous counterpro- event, organizers publicly
testers scuffled with officers. distanced themselves from cist rally in Charlottesville, Counterprotesters hold signs at a “Free Speech” rally by
But event organizers, the Aug. 12 white suprema- Virginia, that left a woman conservative activists on Boston Common, Saturday, Aug. 19,
2017, in Boston. Thousands of demonstrators marched Saturday
from the city’s Roxbury neighborhood to Boston Common,
where the “Free Speech Rally” is being held.
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
dead and many more in- was a lie.”
jured.Addressing concerns Melissa Smith, 32, of Brook-
that a similar event might line, said she participated
come to Boston, Demo- in the rally because free
cratic Mayor Marty Walsh speech is important to her.
had denounced “hate “(The event) was very suc-
groups” that would po- cessful,” she said.
tentially attend Saturday’s Despite multiple confron-
gathering. tations, fights breaking
But when asked about the out and objects getting
atmosphere at the Park- thrown at police, authori-
man Bandstand on the ties touted the events as
Common where supporters mostly peaceful, reporting
gathered Saturday, partici- a total of 33 arrests for dis-
pants described the oppo- orderly conduct, assaulting
site of what opponents had a police officer and other
feared. offenses. Those arrested
“I was holding one of the are expected in court this
‘Black Lives Do Matter’ week. Officials say about
280 2333 signs,” said attendee April 40,000 people attended.
Sutherland, 25, of Seattle. The counterdemonstration
Orange Plaza Photos show the signs be- received praise from Walsh,
ing held up as Ayyadurai is who said Boston “stood
Italiëstraat 50 speaking. “It was powerful for peace and love” and
to have our voices heard. President Donald Trump,
The police were very good who said the people in Bos-
at escorting us out (and) ton were “speaking out”
we were met with people against bigotry and hate.
who were so encourag- Trump added in a Twitter
ing. Forty thousand people message that “Our country
were objecting to some- will soon come together as
thing they didn’t realize one!”q