Opposing Boston protest groups go head-to-head, with some burning flags
Boston Police said two people were arrested during the protests
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Opposing groups of protesters went head-to-head in Boston, where they were largely peaceful despite some tense moments, including when demonstrators burned flags and one man poured “blood” on himself, according to photographs and local reports.
Dozens of protesters from pro-Trump group “Super Happy Fun America” gathered on one side of Boston’s Copley Square from 12 to 2 p.m. on Sunday while at least three groups of counterprotesters demonstrated just feet away around the same time, according to Boston.com.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Super Happy Fun America, otherwise known as SHFA, was reportedly rallying for President Trump’s reelection and pushing back against “Democratic violence,” local FOX affiliate Boston 25 News wrote.
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“Police are being attacked, our country, our cities are burning down, and you can only expect at some point someone’s going to want to stand up and talk about it,” SFHA director Eli Larabee told Boston 25.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Group administrators wrote on their Facebook page that they planned to “peacefully demonstrate with speeches and patriotic banners in order to send a message” to the “leftist mob.”
The opposing groups were separated by metal barriers and police barricades, according to multiple reports and photographs.
On the other side, counter-protesters included people from a group called Refuse Fascism, according to Boston 25.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“The Trump-Pence regime is fascist, and we cannot have four more years,” Scott Gilbert, one of the members of the group, told Boston 25. Refuse Fascism was also joined by groups called “Kick Fascists Out of Boston” and “Solidarity Against Hate – Boston,” according to Boston.com.
In a post on “Refuse Fascism’s” Facebook page, an administrator wrote: “‘Super Happy Fascist America’ is one of the white supremacist MAGA-thug groups spawned by this regime.” The post also described the SHFA rally as “fascist.”
Demonstrators at times clashed with police who tried to separate the groups. Over the course of Sunday’s protests, a handful of demonstrators set fire to Trump signs, merchandise and even flags, including at least one American flag.
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One man, who was described as a performance artist, was seen on video pouring a red liquid that was supposed to represent “blood” on himself, according to an on-the-ground reporter.
A Boston Police Department spokesperson told Fox News two people were reportedly arrested during the protests.