Although the Boston Free Speech Coalition’s rally had been planned before the chaos in Charlottesville, and although organizers said they were appealing to “libertarians, conservatives, traditionalists, classical liberals, Trump supporters or anyone else who enjoys their right to free speech,” critics feared that the rally would be a haven for white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyThe rally unraveled by about 12:50 p.m. The bandstand emptied, officials removed flags tied to the free speech rally and the crowd of counterprotesters sang, “Hey, hey, hey, goodbye.”Rondre Brooks, 36, who said he had traveled from Detroit for the counter-demonstration, said he was pleased to see the apparent early end of the free speech rally. But another man, who said he supported the speech rally and gave his name, after some hesitation, as Matt Staley, interjected to ask if those demonstrating in support of free speech were not Americans, too. The counterprotesters descended on the Common for hours before the planned rally, and they found fliers showing symbols of white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Source: New York Times August 19, 2017 02:34 UTC