By Morgan Lawrence
Hundreds of peaceful protesters marched in the 90 degree heat from Congo Square to Jackson Square on Saturday afternoon (August 19). Crowds passionately chanted “We can’t get no satisfaction til we take down Andrew Jackson!” French Quarter bystanders watched the array of races march in unity for Heather Heyer, the woman killed while taking part in a counter-protest against Neo-Nazis and KKK members Charlottesville, Va., when White supremacist James Alex Fields, Jr., rammed his car through the crowd of peaceful protesters.
The marchers started in Congo Square and harmonized “No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!” Malcolm Suber and Angela Kinlaw from Take ‘Em Down NOLA organized and led the rally along with activist group, The Peoples Assembly. Suber addressed the crowd on the microphone, saying ALL symbols of White Supremacy must be removed or renamed; including street names, school names and Confederate monuments that memorialize slaveholders and supporters of Jim Crow.
The Andrew Jackson statue in front of St. Louis Cathedral wears a target on its back for removal for his historical Confederate and racist truths. Jackson paved the “Trail of Tears” in the killing and expulsion of Native Americans from the South, especially the Cherokee.
N.O.P.D quietly monitored the march. Members of Take ‘Em Down NOLA wore yellow arm bands to show incoming protesters at Congo Square if anyone needed help or felt they were in danger, to find those with the yellow arm bands during the rally.
One of the most powerful signs at the rally read “Truth only threatens liars. Equality only threatens bigots AND Nazis.” The Charlottesville riot proved the horrifying reality that Nazis never went away. In the French Quarter, there was a small group of Confederate groupies armed with guns and bullet proof vests.
No arrests were made on Saturday and there were no injuries; except for a few victims of overheating.
