Mayor, Community Leaders To Speak At Phoenixville Rally For Equality; Location Changed

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — A Rally for Equality will be held in Phoenixville on Friday evening in the wake of the violence at a white nationalist rally and counter-demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one dead and dozens more injured over the weekend. The event, scheduled for Friday, is aimed to condemn not only the violence and bigotry on display in Virginia, but also the hatred much closer to home, the organizer says.

Mayor Michael Speck, along with Dan McDowell from Grace Crossing Community Church, have been added to the list of speakers. Organizers expect other community leaders to speak as well.

"The issue is that racism exists," said Chris Brickhouse, the man behind the protest. "I see it every single day. I saw today. I think everyone sees it. "

Demonstrators will gather in Reeves Park on Friday, Aug. 18, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (NOTE: The location has been changed to Reeves Park. The rally will no longer be held at the corner of Bridge and Main)

Heather Heyer, 32, was killed in Charlottesville on Saturday when a car was driven into a crowd of demonstrators counter-the protesting white nationalist "Unite the Right" rally. In addition to the death, 35 people were injured in the crash and other incidents throughout the day. A wide variety of far-right groups had gathered in the city to protest the removal of the Confederate Robert E. Lee statue from a public park.

"People need to stand up to the alt-right regardless of the political divisions imposed upon us," Brickhouse said. "We need to assemble under the flag of equality: Republicans, Democrats, independents."

The protest will not move into the street, but will stay in the park, which is public property. Phoenixville Middle Ward Councilman Michael Kuznar said that no permits were needed for the event.

"I strongly question the ideological viewpoints of anybody that shows up to a protest making a Hitler salute or wearing a Nazi flag," Phoenixville Middle Ward Councilman Michael Kuznar said. "I don't know how they call themselves Americans. It's disgusting and needs to be denounced by everyone.”

Organizers said that the Phoenixville Police and Pennsylvania State Police would be on hand. Brickhouse stressed that the event will be peaceful in nature.

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The Pottstown NAACP has joined in hosting the event.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified 40 racist hate groups active in Pennsylvania, including four in the greater Philadelphia area. Brickhouse hopes the rally in Phoenixville will focus attention and get locals engaged in issues of race.

"Racism is everywhere, I'm not sure why people try to deny it," he said. "It's subtle. It's overt. It covers the entire spectrum...We can fight it, root it out."

It's not the first "Stand With Charlottesville" event in the area. On Sunday night, hundreds gathered in Gorgas Park in Roxborough to denounce the violence. And a vigil, organized by local chapters of the NAACP and YWCA, took place on Thursday at Memorial Park in Pottstown.

A Facebook page for the Phoenixville event has been started here.

Reeves Park is located on 148 3rd Avenue in the borough.

Image of counter protesters gathering at a previous Ku Klux Klan event on July 8, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, via Chet Strange/Getty Images News/Getty Images