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Dunkirk rallies against hate

Posted at 11:33 PM, Aug 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-15 23:33:11-04

In Dunkirk, more than 100 people rallied at Washington Park, not far from a statute honoring men who fought for the Union. 

Weekend events in Charlottesville, originally sparked by the planned removal of a confederate statue, inspired this gathering. The goal was to prevent hate from spreading into Dunkirk and do it a non-partisan way. 

“We need to be the examples of how to talk, of how to act, of how to disagree, but how to do it in a way where love prevails,” said Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan.

Many at the rally were in disbelief that in 2017, they still need to take a stand against fascism. 

“I brought my father's WWII medals with me because they represent that our soldiers died in WWII fighting fascists. And we do not need to accept fascism as just another view point in America,” said Marcia Johnson, who helped organize the rally.  

 

The rally was briefly interrupted. One man yelled that there was guilt on both sides of the events in Charlottesville. He quickly left without an incident.