(This article has been updated with a comment from event organizer Holly Sanders.)
A concerned citizen of Lafayette, Louisiana, Jamal Taylor, recently contacted Big Easy Magazine via email about an upcoming January 16th rally in Lafayette. The rally is being touted on a public event page on Facebook as Lafayette, LA Hold The Line Rally. Facebook event host Holly Sanders who wears a hat that says, “Yes, I’m a Trump girl, get over it,” writes on Facebook, “I’m in for Round #2- Are you? Bring your flags, signs, megaphones, passion, and positivity! If you can talk the talk- come walk the walk….back in [sic] forth on the corner of Johnson [sic] and Ambassador Caffery (aka Ambassador Row).”
Jamal Taylor writes, “As you are well aware on the 6th of January people who are part of similar groups committed acts of treason and sedition against the US Government. I am deeply concerned about the nature of this event given its ties to extremists groups that have attempted a coup against our government. The people of Lafayette deserve to be protected against such violent behavior.”
While organizers like Sanders may be excited about the rally, others like Taylor may have their legitimate safety concerns. Taylor says, “I am requesting a meeting with leaders from organizations across the city to determine how we keep our city safe against potentially dangerous behaviors. My belief is that we are better safe than sorry. I believe in the peaceful right to assemble; however, given the nature of behavior that we have seen from far right extremists groups we must be certain that this does not spill over into the community.”
This is not the only recent political event for which Lafayette has been in the news, as Mayor Guillory used time, money, and resources to protect Lafayette’s River Ranch community from an alleged incursion by Antifa, based on a satirical post by cajUUUn Memes.
As an additional note, Taylor says he has been in contact with the FBI concerning the upcoming Lafayette event.
Speaking with Holly Sanders via Facebook, she writes in response, “It’s a peaceful gathering for us Trumpers who still back our President. Same as last rally. I’m in close contact with Laf PD and they are aware of our peaceful rally. They are aware that it also brings risk of uninvited parties such has extreme lefts.” She adds, “There’s no need to contact “fbi” etc. What happened in DC was a set up. If he (Jamal Taylor) wants to compare our love/support for our President to his protest last year which resulting him blocking traffic on a main road and at a gas station – Well that’s like comparing apples to oranges.”
