Salute to Refuse Fascism for Timely Banner at LA Philharmonic’s Weimar Republic Festival

February 11, 2020 | revcom.us

 

Refuse Fascism Los Angeles did a bold, artful and much-appreciated action at the February 7 opening of the LA Philharmonic’s important festival “The Weimar Republic: Germany 1918-1933.” The LA Philharmonic’s festival aims to “explore this culturally explosive period” in history, which was ended by the rise of Hitler and the Nazis.

According to a report at RefuseFascism.org, “On Friday night a small team went to the Disney Concert Hall in downtown LA to enjoy an evening of virtuosity, and to hoist the 40 foot banner ‘TRUMP/PENCE OUT NOW REFUSEFASCISM.ORG.’ As we unfurled the banner concertgoers broke into exuberant applause! One person behind us called the act ‘a great gift.’ This wasn’t a ‘show-stopper’—we displayed the huge banner toward the end of intermission with no intention of disrupting THIS program—yet, there were tense and even funny interactions with concert hall security, who finally realized we were supportive of the program!”

The action was covered by the Los Angeles Times, which wrote, “The banner fit with the festival’s goal of encouraging dialogue about the ways that the past—particularly the artistically rich Weimar era, which flourished in the shadow of rising fascism—connects to the present and presages the future,” and noted “Similar banners were hoisted Sunday by protesters near Hollywood & Highland before the Oscars ceremony at the Dolby Theatre.”  (“Who were the protesters behind the Refuse Fascism banners at Disney Hall and the Oscars?” February 10)

 

Refuse Fascism unfurl banner in Disney Hall, February 7, 2020.