KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A downtown street lined with several police officers was the only thing that divided the National Socialist Movement, a white supremacist group, and a large group of counter-protesters this afternoon as they stood in front of the Jackson County Courthouse to protest. Those involved spent hours expressing their thoughts and beliefs in many different ways, and each side`s message was loud and clear.
“I have a kid, and it’s important for her to know that this is not okay,” said counter protester, Tiffany Harris.
Anti-neo-Nazi protesters stood directly across from the National Socialist Movement group this afternoon and fought back against what they feel is inappropriate.
“I’ve seen this in the 70s movies, why do we have to relive it?” said Mark Williams, a counter protester. “Do we want to stagnate our community with hate and build a foundation on hate or do we want to build one on love?
A man who goes by Pastor Drew, the World Chaplain of the Aryan Nation, said he and the National Socialist Movement group do not feel that their views are inappropriate. In fact, he feels that the protestors across the street should worry more about themselves.
“If you don’t drive them out of our nation, they will turn our children against our God,” he said. “I think everyone should go back to their homeland.”
Drew said that they are merely securing the white race and its existence for the future, but then gave an example as to why all other races should not live in America.
“If you take the smart Oprah Winfrey and someone like the beautiful Tyra Banks, in their race, not beautiful to me, beautiful like a cat to me, or like a dog, or an animal, they could go back to their country and they could be strong, they could flourish and they could bloom like flowers,” he said.
Another opposition rally was being held just a few blocks away, at liberty memorial.
“We’re here to say that we don’t tolerate hate in our city,” said Amber Versola. “It bothers me that they feel like it would be acceptable in our town. It bothered me that they felt their hate was welcome.”
“We as immigrants, we come here to better ourselves, to better our futures. And when I was brought here, nobody asked me if I wanted to be here,” said Gavriel Carmona.
There was only one arrest made this afternoon, which was a member of the downtown opposition group who was taken away after throwing something.
The National Socialist Movement group is burning a swastika on private property Saturday night because they were not allowed to do that during the day on Saturday.
For more photos of the protest, Click here.
