Two student organizations will not attend the Women’s March over allegations of anti-Semitism from the march’s leaders.
The Feminist Student Union and GW College Democrats released separate statements Friday and Saturday condemning the organizers of the march. The move comes after a co-president of the organization was scorned for connections to Louis Farrakhan, a leader of the Nation of Islam, who is known for making anti-Semitic comments.
Leaders of FSU wrote in a Facebook post Friday that the march “can pose certain difficult questions about the intersectionality and cohesive protest movements.” FSU has not released a formal statement about the march because members of the student organization have been “grappling with the many allegations surrounding the march,” but the organization will not organize a group to attend.
“GW FSU supports the actions of grassroots movements, but, unfortunately, sometimes these movements are not nearly as cohesive or intersectional as we may wish,” the statement read. “Comprehensive and cohesive movements, such as the Women’s March, have the capacity to make effective change, but we cannot support these actions unless they are extended to all identities.”
College Democrats wrote that the organization has “zero tolerance” for hate, and denounce “any anti-Semitism” present among the march’s organizers. College Democrats will not have any “formal representation” at the march, and they encourage members of their organization not to attend.
“We will continue to support this movement’s values and mission of transformative social change with the inclusion of diversity among women, but we cannot in good conscience support the organization,” the statement read.