Activists plan to protest Monday afternoon outside a Holiday Inn in northern Virginia where right-wing protesters have reportedly booked rooms ahead of rallies in support of President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The upcoming counter-protest, which organizers titled “No Rooms for Fascists,” is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET. Participants aim to “expose the Holiday Inn’s preference for white supremacists,” according to a digital flyer shared to Instagram on Monday morning that included information about the event.
“Holiday Inn Alexandria is hosting violent white supremacists and neo-Nazis on the week of Jan 6,” the flyer stated, referencing reports that members of the Proud Boys and other far-right groups secured accommodations there. President Donald Trump’s supporters are expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., from across the country for the rallies on Wednesday, which many fear could turn violent.
“We reject Holiday Inn’s support of violent fascists who intend to harm our community,” organizers wrote in the statement on the Instagram flyer. A group called Smash the Fash NoVA is hosting the event. Another group, called Shut Down DC, reposted the message to its own account as a gesture of solidarity. Activists called on community members to participate in the demonstration.
Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio confirmed that individuals associated with the far-right group would attend Wednesday’s rallies “incognito” in a recent announcement posted to the conservative social media platform Parler. The Proud Boys are known for their involvement in violent confrontations at protests.
The pro-Trump rallies on Wednesday will coincide with lawmakers meeting to certify President-elect Joe Biden‘s Electoral College victory last month. Protesters oppose the certification, which several Republican representatives intend to formally object to during Wednesday’s meeting. Despite there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud, Trump and many of his loyalists have not yet accepted Biden’s election win as legitimate.
Activists are planning to rally Monday afternoon outside of a Holiday Inn where Proud Boys members are reportedly staying ahead of pro-Trump protests on Wednesday. Above, members of the Proud Boys and Antifa stand off near Black Lives Matter Plaza on December 12 in Washington, D.C. Tasos Katopodis/Getty
The Trump campaign and allies have filed numerous lawsuits since Election Day seeking to reverse results in key swing states that Biden won. Most such legal actions have been quickly dismissed in court for lack of evidence. However, Trump and his supporters continue to question the validity of states’ election outcomes.
Newsweek reached out to Smash the Fash NOVA for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.
