Nearly two dozen White people protested in front of the Houston branch office of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Sunday (August 21). The armed participants held signs that read “#WhiteLivesMatter” and “14 Words” (“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for White children.”). They also waved American and Confederate flags. The rally drew counter-protesters and police on horseback.
“We came here because the NAACP headquarters is here and that’s one of the most racist—supposedly civil rights—groups in America,” participant Scott Lacy told local station KPRC.
As to be expected, the small protest drew big, national attention, in a time when activists are working hard to appeal to state and police forces to value the lives of Black people. Here are some of the reactions posted to Twitter following the protest, starting with NAACP president and CEO, Cornell Brooks.
1) #WhiteLivesMatter activists protest outside Houston @NAACP HQ w’ guns on a sabbath. We are not intimidated. pic.twitter.com/fQjYXz9w4T
— (((Cornell Brooks))) (@CornellWBrooks) August 21, 2016
2) Guns & confederate flags won’t protect black, white, any or all lives. They certainly won’t intimidate the @NAACP pic.twitter.com/ndJanBIJas
— (((Cornell Brooks))) (@CornellWBrooks) August 21, 2016
3) Guns & confederate flags don’t make white lives matter. W’ nonviolence, the @NAACP makes lives & rights matter. pic.twitter.com/Wcbs6AzHoy
— (((Cornell Brooks))) (@CornellWBrooks) August 21, 2016
4) Asserting #BlackLivesMatter isn’t a negation of white lives but an affirmation of our shared humanity pic.twitter.com/dy1Z8PW9au
— (((Cornell Brooks))) (@CornellWBrooks) August 21, 2016
Some thoughts:
1) Wake up to find #WhiteLivesMatter trending. WTF.
2) What Kinkos agreed to make that banner? (1/?) pic.twitter.com/Sr0qwnCMFI— Chris Pagliarini (@pagsz81) August 22, 2016
White Supremacist "14 words" part of hate displayed outside Houston #NAACP https://t.co/RQTFnl9CZ7 @CornellWBrooks pic.twitter.com/VIjbGAyqzZ
— Oren Segal (@orensegal) August 22, 2016
So if #WhiteLivesMatter can I as a POC respond back by saying "but #alllivesmatter" or will I be once again denied the same privilege?
— Dwight Danilo B (@medsoulbrother) August 22, 2016
When you hear about #whitelivesmatter protesting outside of the NAACP with guns pic.twitter.com/saasYrzo4X
— Trybal Blk (@ConjureBlk) August 22, 2016
Did Houston police show up in militarized riot gear, snipers and dogs at the #whitelivesmatter protest?
— 3ChicsPolitico (@3ChicsPolitico) August 22, 2016
I see #whitelivesmatter is trending, and I’m trying to find a time & place in history when white lives were oppressed.So far I got nothing
— Blossom C. Brown (@MISSBLOSSOM9210) August 22, 2016
Demanding #WhiteLivesMatter is like pushing 4 able-bodied parking and asking Habitat4Humanity to build houses for the rich
— Tim Wise (@timjacobwise) August 22, 2016
If "#WhiteLivesMatter," why are they "protesting" NAACP instead of the police who have killed 338 white ppl this yr? pic.twitter.com/v5XJuGQEbJ
— (((Heather ))) (@MissJupiter1957) August 22, 2016