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There's A Counter-Protest To The Mother Of All Rallies You Can Attend

by Morgan Brinlee
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

A pro-Trump rally being hailed as the "Mother of All Rallies" by organizers is set to bring thousands of conservatives to Washington D.C. this weekend. Officially, the rally is being billed as a "pro-American" event for those who want to "protect and preserve American Culture," but some fear, given how similar conservative "free speech" rallies have unfolded in recent months, that the "Mother of All Rallies" will serve as a gathering for white nationalists and white supremacists. So, is there a counter-protest to the "Mother Of All Rallies"? Those looking to oppose conservative pro-Trump demonstrators in Washington may just be in luck.

According to the Washington Post, there is at least one counter-protest to conservatives' "Mother Of All Rallies" scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. A rally being called "White Supremacists Out of Washington!" is being organized at Farragut Square, just one and a half miles from where self-described "pro-American" Trump supporters plan to gather for the "Mother Of All Rallies" at the National Mall.

"The far right is holding their biggest gathering since Charlottesville in Washington DC this Saturday — right on the National Mall," a Facebook event page for "White Supremacists Out of Washington! states. "We are rallying together in Impeachment (Farragut) Square to show that we will no longer tolerate white supremacy, nor this white supremacist administration. We demand White Supremacists OUT of Washington DC: out of office, and out of the streets."

According to the counter-protest's Facebook event page, those who attend the "White Supremacists Out of Washington!" rally will be able to participate in a de-escalation and security training at noon before the event kicks off at 1:30 p.m. local time.

Saturday is expected to be one of the busiest days of the year for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. as some 30 events vie for space and attention on federal park land. And the "Mother Of All Rallies," nicknamed MOAR by organizers and supporters, is shaping up to be one of the day's biggest events.

"Due to increasing political and social unrest, many believe that core American values, customs and traditions are being sacrificed," a statement on the rally's official website notes. "Rally participants will demand protection for traditional American culture while they express their love for the United States and the America First agenda."

The website goes on to state the "Mother of All Rallies" will send a message "that the voices of mainstream Americans" need to be heard. "We are coming together to send a direct message to Congress, the media and the world that we stand united not divided to protect and preserve American Culture," the website reads. And while the organizers behind the "Mother of All Rallies" have stressed the event is open to "all people regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, or political affiliation," it's also been made clear that the event is pro-Trump. "We are gathering to support our President and our country," the website for the "Mother of All Rallies" states.

As of now, it's unclear if counter-protesters at the "White Supremacists Out of Washington!" rally will attempt to march to the National Mall on Saturday. But the organizers behind the "Mother of All Rallies" have some strong words for counter-protesters. "Anyone who would protest this rally is protesting America and showing themselves to be the very domestic enemies our founding fathers warned us about," a statement on the "Mother of All Rallies" website reads. "Anyone attempting to silence us is committing a direct assault on our constitutional rights of free assembly."

As of Friday afternoon just 173 people had marked themselves as "going" to the "White Supremacists Out of Washington!" on Facebook with another 903 people marked as "interested." Conversely, about 2,000 are marked on Facebook as "going" to the "Mother of All Rallies" with another 6,000 marked as "interested."