Protest Warriors – Calisthenics for Anti-Fascists
From the Protest Warrior messageboard:

“I just got off the phone with Kim, the Atlanta PW leader in New York. There were around 100 Protest Warriors out today... 7 groups of 15 from what I understand. And from what I heard, things were getting so violent with the anarchists, that police were pulling PWer's out to let them flee the marches. Kim was shaken up quite a bit so I didn't keep her long... they'll be infiltrating at more points, just staying away from the anarchists.”

-Georgia Tech University chapter leader RyanR

During United for Peace and Justice's 450,000 anti-war/anti-Bush demonstration on Sunday, right-wing groups took the opportunity to counter-protest and show their support for the Republican Party. Most were smart enough to allow the police to protect them, standing well off the march route behind heavily guarded police barricades. One group, the Protest Warriors, was not satisfied standing on the side-lines and attempted to enter the march.

The Protest Warriors are a group of right-wingers who attempt to discredit the left and disrupt the organizing we do. They try to accomplish this by attending various demonstrations with their own vague signs that seem to echo the message of the protest, but in actuality, just ridicule the message that we are really trying to send. The Protest Warriors are not your traditional fascist group, but a home-grown variety of so-called patriotic Americans who take a hard-line stance in support of the Bush Administration and everything it stands for. They draw ideologically from such far-right wing nuts as Ann Coulter and Michael Savage, echoing many of their assertions. The Protest Warriors are not worth tracking or anything like that, but if they turn up at a demonstration you're at, be sure to confront them and get them out of there.

On three separate occasions, three different contingents of Protest Warriors entered the UFPJ march. Anti-fascists and other anti-war activists confronted the Protest Warriors each time they made it into the march.

People first encountered the Protest Warriors shortly after the march started. This initial group was penned in off the march route, so people continued in the march, thinking the only encounters with right-wingers would be verbal.

Soon after that, another contingent of the group entered the UFPJ march. They were immediately confronted, having many of their signs confiscated and destroyed. Most were surprised, not thinking that “peace protesters” would stand up to them. A few Protest Warriors attempted to get the signs back, and a large scuffle ensued. In turn, marchers turned up their level of militancy, and more signs and American flags were confiscated. In addition, several so-called “Warriors” ended up flat on their faces in the street. Finally, the Protest Warriors were escorted out of the march by the police.

Within several blocks, another group of Protest Warriors entered the march. Anti-fascists and anti-war activists were quick to surround them, arms linked, blocking them from marching. Most of their signs were confiscated, and people even got a hold of their bullhorn. The police were quicker to move in this time, pushing people away from the Protest Warriors, and once again escorting them out of the march.

Later, another group of Protest Warriors gathered on the sidewalk and seemed likely to enter the march. A large crowd gathered around them, yelling and stealing signs. At this point, police arrested two participants in the UFPJ march, one for allegedly stealing signs, and the other for supposedly trying to unarrest the first one.

All in all, things were successful. The Protest Warriors were not allowed to participate in the UFPJ march, and most of the crowd was supportive of the tactics used. People were cheering and clapping when the Protest Warriors were confronted, and helped to dispose of the signs as they were passed back in the crowd. Hopefully, the Protest Warriors and other right-wing groups will realize that they cannot pull stunts like this without serious consequences, and that their point of view is not one that is tolerated anywhere. Based on comments from the Protest Warriors on their messageboard, like the one at the beginning of this article, it seems like they definitely got the message.