Reporting back from the GTBTLMNOP protest at FordFest. I was one of the six protesters.
-it was definitely scary when several hundred RoFoBots started getting loud and agitated against us. After my hat was knocked off, signs ripped up, and megaphone stolen, I decided it was too getting too hot and ran off to find a cop, because I could see physical confrontations were likely. I found these two jokers on the opposite side of the park
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and told them cops were needed by the media section, because assaults were happening and things were getting out of control. They refused to go, saying they were the only 2 cops there ("the others are riding bikes around, there's lots of things to do") and so one of the protestors had to get throttled before cops were finally showed up.
-2 of RoFo's suited minions (Graham MacEachern and Dan Jacobs) came up to talk to me. Wished I'd had a video camera (which probably would have made them scurry like cockroaches). I made some comments through my microphone as to being thankful they weren't photographing me for intimidation purposes or kicking me etc. They basically had some talking points they wanted to convince (?) me with... Ford has gay friends, he's not homophobic (to which I said "Prove it--have him go on stage and tell his supporters to cool it with the anti-gay slurs and violence"). And told me WE were the bigots because we were calling ALL his supporters bigots (I never said that and don't believe that... but some are, and I told him if Ford blows the dogwhistle for these people, he has to expect reaction from us). The fact that neither seemed interested in telling the yahoos to cool it seems to contradict their claims of coming to make sure we were OK.
-After my signs were ripped up, I picked up a piece of one from the garbage to take as a souvenir... there was an old veteran (you can see him breaking up a fight in one of the videos) who apparently works at Ford's office as security. He asked me not to take the piece of the sign, as he wanted to tape it back together and hang it at City Hall. He said "I fought in the World War in order for all of you, on both sides, to have the freedom to speak out. That's what I fought for. I would die fighting for that right". He was near tears and so was I. I thanked him for his service (and so did a Ford National, who seemed to get why ripping up signs, assaulting people, and basically driving peaceful protesters out of a public park where Dear Leader invited everyone in the city to come, was wrong.)
I doubt we convinced any Ford voters. It is fascinating how 6 poorly-organized protestors majorly disrupted the coverage for the Fraud's event. In some coverage, we were half the story, and the lead part of the story. This takes away half of the millions of free publicity the Fraud's wanted from their nasty cheap BBQ. If the Nationals had just ignored us, we wouldn't have gotten much coverage. But they had to react with hate and anger... because that's what Dear Leader taught them to do. So he reaps what he sows.
More than one person has commented how the rally was pretty scary... like a cult of personality, mobilized against an external enemy (downtown elite gays), impervious to and uninterested in facts and reasoned arguments... in different times, Mr. Ford would indeed be a "King" and woe to the out groups.