by Susan Fried
What was supposed to be part of a nationwide "White Lives Matter" protest at Westlake Center on April 11 turned out to be a "Picket against white supremacy!" Organized by local community groups, the event was attended by close to 100 people who were there to "stand up to racists and fascists." The Seattle "White Lives Matter" non-event mirrored other planned rallies across the country — NBC News reported that the rallies, which were hyped up by organizers as events that would make "the whole world tremble," ended up being busts when the turn-out on Sunday was much lower than organizers had anticipated.
A "White Lives Matter" rally in Huntington Beach, California, was shut down by the police after the event attendees were far outnumbered by counterprotesters, and law enforcement declared an unlawful assembly and made several arrests.
According to local media in Fort Worth, Texas, an event there drew only a handful of "White Lives Matter" protesters but dozens of counterprotesters.
Similar stories played out across the country with people protesting racism and white supremacy far outnumbering those in support of the far-right extremist events originally planned for the day.
All photos by Susan Fried.
Susan Fried is a 40-year veteran photographer. Her early career included weddings, portraits, and commercial work — plus, she's been The Skanner News' Seattle photographer for 25 years. Her images have appeared in the University of Washington's The Daily, The Seattle Globalist, Crosscut, and many more.She's been an Emerald contributor since 2015. Follow her on Instagram @fried.susan.
Featured Image: Nearly 100 counterprotesters turned out in Seattle's Westlake Park in response to a planned "White Lives Matter" rally on Sunday, April 11, 2021. Counterprotesters far outnumbered protesters in Seattle and other events across the country. (Photo: Susan Fried)
Before you move on to the next story …
The South Seattle Emerald™ is brought to you by Rainmakers. Rainmakers give recurring gifts at any amount. With around 1,000 Rainmakers, the Emerald™ is truly community-driven local media. Help us keep BIPOC-led media free and accessible.
If just half of our readers signed up to give $6 a month, we wouldn't have to fundraise for the rest of the year. Small amounts make a difference.
We cannot do this work without you. Become a Rainmaker today!