Opposition to Women’s March Leaders Grows Over Antisemitism, Farrakhan Connections
by Benjamin Kerstein
A groundswell of opposition has emerged on social media against the leaders of the Women’s March movement over antisemitism and connections to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
The movement began when Women’s March founder Theresa Shook posted a lengthy Facebook message on Monday, saying, “Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez of Women’s March, Inc. have steered the Movement away from its true course. I have waited, hoping they would right the ship. But they have not.”
In a clear reference to Farrakhan, Shook wrote, “In opposition to our Unity Principles, they have allowed anti-Semitism, anti-LBGTQIA sentiment and hateful, racist rhetoric to become a part of the platform by their refusal to separate themselves from groups that espouse these racist, hateful beliefs.”
She called on “the current Co-Chairs to step down and to let others lead who can restore faith in the Movement and its original intent.”
Mallory and Sarsour have both attended events with Farrakhan. Mallory has referred to him as “GOAT” or “Greatest of All Time,” while Sarsour has consistently refused to condemn him.
Farrakhan has a long history of antisemitic statements. Most recently, he compared Jews to termites.
In early November, as first reported by The Algemeiner, Farrakhan led chants of “Death to America” and claimed that “America has never been a democracy” during a visit to Tehran.
Shook’s call was seconded by Mercy Morganfield, former head of the Washington, DC, chapter of the Women’s March, who also accused the leadership of financial impropriety and revealed that they used Nation of Islam members as a security force.
“They refused to give the chapters any accountability for the money they receive in donations and grants,” Morganfield wrote. “They travel with a glam squad. They employ The Nation of Islam as security detail. They fly their family and friends everywhere. They stay in 5-Star hotels. They pay themselves a monthly stipend. They refuse to show financial records when asked.”
“Tamika and Linda have betrayed all women by their subservience to radical religious beliefs that do not believe in equal rights for women,” she added, then called on the entire leadership to “step down.”
However, she said, “I don’t think they will resign, not as long as millions of dollars are available for their personal use.”
A founder of the Michigan branch of the Women’s March commented on Shook’s statement, saying, “Thank you. I was a co-founder of Women’s March Michigan, and resigned earlier this year due to these and other issues.”
Sherry Alu Campagna, the former Hawaii organizer for the Women’s March, joined in, stating, “I support Teresa Cooper Shook and her statement. Within hours of her post calling for the four leaders of Women’s March Inc. to step down, those same leaders publicly denounced Teresa, continued their attempts to erase her contribution from the Movement, and violated the very Kingian Principals they claim to uphold…the principles they use to defend their tacit support of Farrakhan and anti-Semetic speech.”
The pro-Israel progressive movement Zioness also expressed support for Shook, tweeting, “Zioness applauds @TeresaShookWM, the founder of the @womensmarch, for calling on the four co-Chairs of Women’s March, Inc. — Bob Bland, Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez — to step down from their roles.”
Earlier this month, actresses Alyssa Milano and Deborah Messing publicly renounced the Women’s March for its connections to Farrakhan.