Anti-Democracy, Paramilitary Protests in Olympia Illustrate Threat of Ignoring Bigotry

Anti-democracy and paramilitary leaders protested side by side in Olympia today, rallying under a range of conspiratorial causes but focused fundamentally on promoting bigotry and undermining democratic institutions.

“Today’s event may have seemed like a hodgepodge of grievances, but it was chilling to see so much unity in the ongoing attacks on our democratic institutions and our inclusive democracy writ large,” said Eric K. Ward, executive director of the Western States Center. “In Olympia today, we saw paramilitary groups and a range of other anti-democracy activists aggressively working to recruit young people and making pledges of unity against what they see as their common enemies.”

Today’s rally was widely promoted on social media by an array of groups, including Washington 3% and Patriot Prayer. The event included participants openly flouting Washington’s open carry law and displaying signs unambiguously promoting violence and making comparisons to Nazis. The program featured speakers from anti-democracy groups, elected officials, and high school students, among others. 

“If we want to defend inclusive democracy, we need to name the impact that threats, intimidation and political violence have on our institutions and our communities and to speak out against the bigoted and anti-democracy groups promoting it,” said Ward. “These groups are going to continue to organize and adopt new tactics as they push their agenda. That demands an assertive, united response from everyone who supports inclusive democracy–including government leaders at every level who need to treat our country’s growing authoritarian movement like the existential threat it is, firmly reject political violence and the authoritarian movements that promote it, and strengthen democratic institutions against attempts to undermine them.”

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Based in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain States, Western States Center works nationwide to strengthen inclusive democracy through building movements, developing leaders, shifting culture, and defending democracy.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shai Vaz, press@wscpdx.org