They’re trying to activate you and want you to act on your anger. It validates the group’s need and ploy for attention, and may provide the group with media attention and social media posts. This attention creates algorithmic fuel, which garners digital social currency and social capital both online and off. These events are often recruitment tactics and ways to get as many people to see them as possible.
INSTEAD, DO THIS: Take a picture of the march, the flyers, the flags or the banners being displayed. Send them to a local law enforcement agency or city council member so they have a record of the activity in their district.
AVOID ARGUING THE IDEOLOGY HEAD-ON. You won’t change anyone’s mind in the middle of a rally or on a street corner after being handed a flier. Debate often devolves into shouting matches, and that only puts you at risk.
INSTEAD, CONSIDER THIS. Discuss the how’s and the why’s of why someone holds their ideology. If you are in conversation with them already, try to find common ground instead of focusing on the opposing views.
INFORM THE PROPER AUTHORITIES. Call city hall or your local city council member or mayor’s office so they know what is happening in the neighborhood. If you feel that the safety of an individual or the safety of a community is at risk, contact a local trusted law enforcement agency. If you feel someone’s mental health is at stake contact a local mental health resource team.
WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN THESE GROUPS? Most of them did not join these groups because they hate people. Many are trying to fill a void in their own lives or are searching for a place to belong. With the rise in online spaces to engage, so too has the ability to engage in hate-fueled violence online. Many individuals seek to hold power or sway over others, find connection, or simply find a place to be heard, even if their own beliefs do not match those of the group in the beginning.
Members of the Patriot Front, a far-right white nationalist group, assemble outside Union Station in Washington, DC, on July 4. Credit: Douliery Olivier/Abaca/ZUMA
WE DO NOT ENCOURAGE COUNTER-PROTESTING FOR SAFETY REASONS, BUT IF YOU DO AND ARE USING SIGNS, USE SIMPLE MESSAGES. Keep it positive, for example, There Is Life After Hate, Choose Courage Over Hate
START A FUNDRAISER Initiate a fundraising campaign or petition to deter a rally in the first place. Ask community members to donate to a civil rights charity. The most successful of these are usually held in another part of town and focus on something positive. In essence, If you don’t like what you’re hearing, change the conversation.
PARTNER WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS. you can connect with civil rights organizations and nonprofits working to protect community members. If you, or someone you know, are ready to leave violence behind, we’re ready to help.
