Thread by @GrassrootsSpeak

An interesting thing happened last night
A number of NYC groups came together #UnitedInOutrage to protest Trump
We arrived in Bryant Park & guess who else came
Trump supporters
With a tall Trump 2020 flag flying high

The Organizers couldn't stop Trump supporters from showing up

https://twitter.com/GrassrootsSpeak/status/1176229570275663880

We were Marching from Bryant Park to Washington Sq Park. The organizers were obviously focused on a peaceful protest. There was a very strong police presence probably in case of any issues between the 2 groups. I'm an avg American whos upset about Trump but I don't want violence

I don't want violence but I also don't want to be dissuaded from having a voice
Democracy dies in silence
When the March started our organizers held us back & let the Trump supporters go first
The obvious thing to do to avoid violence is to separate the groups & let them go first

I was near the front of our group & you could see the organizers were trying to keep a distance between us & the Trump supporters ahead of us.
It seemed like we greatly outnumbered the Trump supporters.
It felt like there were less then a hundred of them & maybe 1000+ of us.

I was fine keeping our distance.
It felt like they were there to try & trigger us.
I didn't want them to instigate any violence.
Luckily we Marched without incident & I could see the Arches ahead of us.
The same arches where Elizabeth Warren recently spoke to record crowds...

Against the backdrop of the night the Arches were lit up
As I head toward them a voice behind me says "thats what Fox & Trump will see."
Going through the Arches was the very small Trump crowd with their 2020 Trump flag waving high & prominently displayed at the top of the Arch

I marched AGAINST Trump.
But because we were behind them it could appear as if a Trump 2020 group was heading through the Arches with a HUGE crowd behind them.
Thats how it could have appeared.
We had plenty of anti-trump signs but the Fox crowd wouldn't see it.
How frustrating😡

It was eye opening
What could be done different?
What do we do if Trump Supporters hijack our protests?
People say we need to be in the streets but do we wanna get out there if the optics will make it appear we were supporting Trump?
I'm curious -how do you change that situation?

I didn't get a picture of the flag as it went through the arches but this shot shows that stupid flag🤬

Maybe 80% of the crowd were anti-Trump
& 20% were Trump Supporters
But the majority were overshadowed by the minority
It feels analogous to our current climate
What can we do?