Politics

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Promotes Fundraiser For Boston Protesters Associated With Antifa

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/AMY OSBORNE/AFP/Getty Images

Justin Caruso Contributor
Font Size:

New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez promoted a fundraiser for bail money for a group of counter-protesters that included Antifa members after a “Straight Pride” parade in Boston, Massachusetts, this weekend.

“One way to support the local LGBTQ community impacted by Boston’s white supremacist parade? Contribute to the Bail Fund for the activists who put themselves on the line protecting the Boston community,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said in a social media post Saturday.

Her post linked to a fundraiser that seeks to help counter-protesters from the “Straight Pride” event with “any legal fees, as well as supplies for jail support (rides home, food, changes of clothes, etc).”

Indeed, arrests did occur. 36 individuals were arrested Saturday with numerous charges of “Assault and battery on a police officer,” and one juvenile arrested for “Assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon,” according to the Boston Herald.

Reports from the USA Today and the Herald indicate that many counter-protesters identified with Antifa, a far-left group that embraces violence to achieve political goals.

One member of Antifa told the Herald, “We’re covered in black so when we attack these guys we can’t be prosecuted.”

“They are fascists, 100%. How else are you going to get them to shut up?” he was quoted as saying.

The “Straight Pride Parade,” which took place in Boston Saturday, was planned by Super Happy Fun America, a group which “advocates on behalf of the straight community.”

Though the New York congresswoman refers to the protesters as “white supremacists,” Super Happy Fun America denied having connections to racism in a statement issued to The Daily Caller.

“Not sure which parade and ceremony she watched over the weekend, but of the 12 speakers on our stage, five were African-American, four were women, and three were African-American women. This was not intentional on our behalf, they reached out to us in support of our movement–it happened organically. If you remove the three main organizers from the lineup, the majority of speakers were African-American.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ayanna Pressley also shared a link to a bail fundraiser set up in advance of the parade, which gives people the impression that they condone illegal behavior. This is not a good example for elected officials to set, and contributes to dangers associated with free-speech and activism in general.

The only connections to racism are in the deluded minds of protesters who all repeat the same mantra against those whom they disagree with: Racist, Fascist, Nazi, etc., are what detractors fall back on when their arguments are met with logical and rational push-back. They cannot win on an intellectual level, so they resort to name-calling. Those same people must have missed the Israeli flags and African-American supporters in our group.”

The Caller reached out to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s office to ask why she is supporting individuals who openly planned violence and allegedly assaulted police officers, but received no comment.

Antifa groups across the United States have engaged in violence with many conservatives and journalists in general in recent years. (RELATED: FBI Investigating Antifa For Plotting To Buy Guns From Cartel For ‘Armed Rebellion’)

In 2018, an NBC News crew was attacked by Antifa members in Charlottesville, Virginia, and reporter Andy Ngo was hospitalized in June after being assaulted by Antifa in Portland, Oregon.

Last year, Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson’s home was subject to Antifa intimidation, as a mob formed outside of his home while his wife was inside alone.