The small park in front of the White House has been a center of activism for rallies for and against the President. Tuesday night, Stormy Daniels lawyer and outspoken critic of Donald Trump, Michael Avenatti became the latest in public figures to take a podium in front of the building that represents the office of the Presidency.
Tonight we demand accountability. 7 pm across from the new Kremlin Annex. Be there. #OccupyLafayettePark #Basta #FightClub
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 17, 2018
Avenatti called for this rally Monday night after President Trump refused to call out Russian President Putin for interfering with the 2016 election. Trump has since then has said that a minor part of his press conference answer was wrong adding a “not” or “wouldn’t” double negative to the answer he gave in Helsinki. The President in a short prepared statement also added that it could have been “other people” as well, seemingly unable to fully accept what all of the US Intelligence agencies have concluded, but Putin denies. (This is the current walk-back at the time of writing, it’s Trump, so it will likely change again by the time you read this.)
The rally, which happened with the help of the already ongoing #OccupyLafayettePark, who have now been there for several days pulled in 500 people (rough estimate from my place in the park) who had on quick notice made a creative variety of signs, some even with their own lighting.
Avenatti taking to the podium in his known brash launched into a campaign style speech announcing “It is time for him to go… Every American of good conscious, whether you’re on the right, the left or the center to unite against this President and his inability to call this like it is.” The crowd cheered and picked up a popular chant of the night, “Impeach 45.”
Finishing his speech, the lawyer took a campaign slogan that the President would be familiar with and turned it on its head: “It is time to make America independent again, it is time to make America respected again, and above all else it is time to make America America again.” No telling how soundproofed the bullet proof windows at the White House are, but that one must have reverberated with the President… assuming he could hear it over Fox News.
After Avenatti left the make shift stage organizers set up in front of the actress and activist, Alyssa Milano took the mic for a call to action. Wherever you’re from, you go home and volunteer in a campaign office… You turn this around for our country, it’s up to each one of you – we can do this!” She finished her short speech with a human microphone “I… believe… that we… can win!”
The protest continued rallied by an union organizer that attended who led the crowd in chants, cheers and jeers. Eventually as the night went on the crowd that was left, 100 or so, was told that they have to leave the street that separated the White House and Lafayette Park and once again #OccupyLafayettePark began again.
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