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Last weekend, I went down to DC with @thejoecardamone and took pictures of the Million MAGA March.
I... genuinely don't know what to do with them.
I did not enjoy being there.
But some of the photos are... good.
Should I post them?
I... genuinely don't know what to do with them.
I did not enjoy being there.
But some of the photos are... good.
Should I post them?
The people have spoken.
The series will be released.
It will not be kind to the fascists.
Also, I’m experimenting with an editing that will help set this apart from what I normally do.
I’ll release it soon.
The series will be released.
It will not be kind to the fascists.
Also, I’m experimenting with an editing that will help set this apart from what I normally do.
I’ll release it soon.
For perspective, when @thejoecardamone and #me went down, this is what we looked like.
We didn't have anything that could identify us as leftists, nor anything that would identify us as Trump supporters.
(Also, I like this photo of Joe. Lookit the way the gold frames his head!)
We didn't have anything that could identify us as leftists, nor anything that would identify us as Trump supporters.
(Also, I like this photo of Joe. Lookit the way the gold frames his head!)
The noise was the first thing I noticed.
When we came up from the Metro during the Biden celebration, it was LOUD. Car horns, cheers, singing... all that was absent.
Instead, it was a lot of old people walking around quietly with gigantic flags.
When we came up from the Metro during the Biden celebration, it was LOUD. Car horns, cheers, singing... all that was absent.
Instead, it was a lot of old people walking around quietly with gigantic flags.
Right off the bat, we met a hat vendor in an alley. This would be a sign of things to come.
"I only got a few hats left, man. $5 each."
I declined, but I should have said yes.
I would have been able to blend in better, but also... this money was assuredly NOT going to Trump.
"I only got a few hats left, man. $5 each."
I declined, but I should have said yes.
I would have been able to blend in better, but also... this money was assuredly NOT going to Trump.
Vendors were EVERYWHERE.
Everyone who could scrounge up a literal shopping cart was pushing it through the streets to sell their wares.
There was an air of desperation; I think most of them knew this was their last chance to sell things with Trump's name on them.
Everyone who could scrounge up a literal shopping cart was pushing it through the streets to sell their wares.
There was an air of desperation; I think most of them knew this was their last chance to sell things with Trump's name on them.
The mood of the crowd was easily summed up in this discarded sign.
This wasn't about bringing anything together.
This wasn't about salvaging a relationship.
This was a crowd of very bitter losers.
This wasn't about bringing anything together.
This wasn't about salvaging a relationship.
This was a crowd of very bitter losers.
There were more paraphernalia than people.
Signs such as these peculiar "Keep America Great" ones (a short-lived catchphrase) were stacked everywhere.
There just weren't enough people to carry them all.
Signs such as these peculiar "Keep America Great" ones (a short-lived catchphrase) were stacked everywhere.
There just weren't enough people to carry them all.
I heard later reports that there were about 10,000 people at the event, which felt accurate.
What not many people mentioned, however, is that a good 25% of them were vendors.
This dude's shirt read "The Media Is the Virus"... while he was getting his photo taken.
What not many people mentioned, however, is that a good 25% of them were vendors.
This dude's shirt read "The Media Is the Virus"... while he was getting his photo taken.
This guy was nearly goosestepping with his flag, which he had clearly just purchased for this very event, given how folded it was.
A young man rolled around on a uniwheel with an enormous pole with lots of Trump flags on it, pausing to take selfies with young women.
It felt like a circus full of clowns.
@thejoecardamone could barely contain himself, laughter even betraying itself from behind his mask.
"The whole thing is just ridiculous..."
@thejoecardamone could barely contain himself, laughter even betraying itself from behind his mask.
"The whole thing is just ridiculous..."
So many of the flags were just... busy. And ugly. And loud.
It was like if a car dealership ad designed decided to become a vexillologist.
It was like if a car dealership ad designed decided to become a vexillologist.
There were counter-protesters, though not many.
A line of Black men just stood in the road, masked, silent, immobile.
One of them holding a tattered sign that read "FUCK DONALD TRUMP".
A line of Black men just stood in the road, masked, silent, immobile.
One of them holding a tattered sign that read "FUCK DONALD TRUMP".
They faced old men like this guy, who used his wife's phone to record himself shouting "You don't have the right to be here!"
...all while wearing a hat that says "IT'S YOUR RIGHT".
...all while wearing a hat that says "IT'S YOUR RIGHT".
They faced old white men like this guy, who had this sign demanding "DROP FOX NEWS."
One of the Black men couldn't take it anymore and broke rank.
"What the fuck do y'all WANT?" he laughed, "That's Y'ALLS news station!"
One of the Black men couldn't take it anymore and broke rank.
"What the fuck do y'all WANT?" he laughed, "That's Y'ALLS news station!"
These people were interesting.
He would bellow obscene things into his megaphone, calling a lesbian couple "muff divers".
He would pause for effect, trying to get some sort of reaction out of people.
Nobody reacted, though the couple did kiss.
He would bellow obscene things into his megaphone, calling a lesbian couple "muff divers".
He would pause for effect, trying to get some sort of reaction out of people.
Nobody reacted, though the couple did kiss.
That guy had the unique characteristic of being SO annoying that he even pissed off Trump supporters.
At one point, he goes on a rant about masturbating is a sin, which prompted groans, laughter, and boos from the Trump supporters.
At one point, he goes on a rant about masturbating is a sin, which prompted groans, laughter, and boos from the Trump supporters.
Old people in mobility scooters were EVERYWHERE.
Maskless.
Just breathing in that warm, wet air.
Maskless.
Just breathing in that warm, wet air.
This lady and her friend posed for me, beaming.
"I'm just so proud of our president!" she told me.
Her flag, you'll note, does not have red stripes.
That is because it is a Blue Lives Matter flag, for fascists.
"I'm just so proud of our president!" she told me.
Her flag, you'll note, does not have red stripes.
That is because it is a Blue Lives Matter flag, for fascists.
A small fringe group of people stood outside the Trump Hotel, wearing blue shirts emblazoned with "New Federal State of China".
I had to look them up.
They're a group co-created by Steven Bannon that is trying to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party.
I had to look them up.
They're a group co-created by Steven Bannon that is trying to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party.
Directly across the street from them, two old white men stood.
They skeptically glared at the Chinese people in front of the Trump Hotel, unsure of what to make of them.
They brandished a flag which read "TRUMP COUNTRY".
They skeptically glared at the Chinese people in front of the Trump Hotel, unsure of what to make of them.
They brandished a flag which read "TRUMP COUNTRY".
An old white man with his Asian wife strolled up the street between them, carrying Make America Great Again signs.
The wild look in the man's eyes creeped me out.
The wild look in the man's eyes creeped me out.
A vendor followed them, calling out "Only a couple flags left!", while clearly pulling a wagon that was packed full of flags.
A First Nations counter-protestor marched bravely alone, carrying http://RefuseFascism.org signs that read Trump/Pense OUT NOW! and TRUMP LOST GET OVER IT.
Another counter-protester stood alone with a DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS sign, sporting a really bad-ass Frederick Douglas shirt.
Off to the side, a crowd had gathered at two men shouting at each other, so I dove in to see what was up.
At that very moment, the loud Trump supporters yelled "...and it's the leftist media like HIM that's the problem!", while pointing at me.
...I was kinda proud...
At that very moment, the loud Trump supporters yelled "...and it's the leftist media like HIM that's the problem!", while pointing at me.
...I was kinda proud...
The man he was shouting at, a counter-protester in a #MarchForOurLives shirt, got the #BlackLivesMatter 
sign ripped from his hands by this dude in a Snap-On Tools shirt.
The police, at that point, intervened.
sign ripped from his hands by this dude in a Snap-On Tools shirt.The police, at that point, intervened.
A very inebriated Trump supporter sporting a flag as a cape found this all extremely hilarious and laughed loudly while filming everything.
Smaller arguments bloomed, with this guy in a Harley Davidson hoodie complaining to a Black guy in a Rasta hat.
"Those BLM go through and destroy cities!" he cried, "we're just protesting peacefully!"
"By ripping other people's signs from their hands." the Black man countered.
"Those BLM go through and destroy cities!" he cried, "we're just protesting peacefully!"
"By ripping other people's signs from their hands." the Black man countered.
Off to one side, a man with a "FU45" shirt stood on his bike.
"I just wanted to go for a bike ride." he muttered.
"I just wanted to go for a bike ride." he muttered.
Women dressed as suffragettes walked through the crowds with signs that read "Soldiers in Petticoats" while wearing banners that read "EVERY LEGAL VOTE".
"EVERY LEGAL VOTE" is a racist dog-whistle, targeting areas like Detroit, claiming some Black votes were illegal.
"EVERY LEGAL VOTE" is a racist dog-whistle, targeting areas like Detroit, claiming some Black votes were illegal.
Guys standing on a truck from Georgia (which Trump lost, twice, by over 12,600 votes) stood holding an enormous Trump flag which people stood in front of to take selfies.
"I'm kinda tired." called out the man in the cowboy hat to the man on the truck.
"I'm kinda tired." called out the man in the cowboy hat to the man on the truck.
My absolute favourite shot of the series; a man sits on a sign reading "TRUMP We Stand With YOU".
In his lap are copies of @RyuhoOkawa's book with giant stickers reading "GOD CHOSE TRUMP".
In his lap are copies of @RyuhoOkawa's book with giant stickers reading "GOD CHOSE TRUMP".
A group of exhausted Proud Boys began heading to a nearby patch of grass to rest, so I dove directly into the middle of them.
I found it ironic that one of the girlfriends had a shirt that read "be kind human" while wearing a skull mask.
I found it ironic that one of the girlfriends had a shirt that read "be kind human" while wearing a skull mask.
I tried to get as many photos of them as I could.
One crusty looking fellow yelled "Oooh, don't take pictures of me and post them on the internet, I might lose my JOB!" sarcastically.
I kept snapping.
I kept snapping.
A lot of them couldn't take the challenge of walking through the streets of DC on a cool autumn day, and passed out in the grass.
. @thejoecardamone came up to me afterward, describing them perfectly.
"They're like a bunch of high school teens in a locker room boasting about the sex that they've never actually had."
"They're like a bunch of high school teens in a locker room boasting about the sex that they've never actually had."
And he was right.
There was a ridiculous number of people who were there doing what seemed like military cosplay.
There was a ridiculous number of people who were there doing what seemed like military cosplay.
I liked this shot because his flag says "BULLSHIT", and his shirt says "RUMP".
There were a surprising number of Black men in the Proud Boys cosplay troops.
I guess this is where the 18% comes from.
I guess this is where the 18% comes from.
A Korean Proud Boy paused for his photo, his helmet all askew.
Hey @Disney, is this guy using the @ThePunisher logo properly?
Hey @Disney, is this guy using the @ThePunisher logo properly?
One young man had a "KYLE RITTENHOUSE DID NOTHING WRONG" sign, but at no point did I seem him proud enough to actually hold it up.
In case you were wondering, this is what the Maryland/DC Proud Boys logo looks like.
I couldn't help but wonder what their workouts and bootcamps actually entailed.
It did not seem like it was paying off.
It did not seem like it was paying off.
One guy had a large "JOIN, or DIE." flag.
Which... I'm not sure he totally gets the full meaning of.
@thejoecardamone got a much better shot of him than I did.
Many of our shots were similar, because we watched each other's back as we moved through the crowds.
Which... I'm not sure he totally gets the full meaning of.
@thejoecardamone got a much better shot of him than I did.
Many of our shots were similar, because we watched each other's back as we moved through the crowds.
The crowds got denser and denser as we neared the Supreme Court, but still, around 25% of them were vendors desperately trying to unload their hats, flags, and signs.
This guy saluted me.
I just thought he looked extremely silly.
I just thought he looked extremely silly.
This guy stood waving a large NO MORE BULLSHIT flag, talking with his buddy in front of the Supreme Court.
Like you do.
The guy in the background with a sports jersey reading "AMENDMENT 2" is a nice touch.
Like you do.
The guy in the background with a sports jersey reading "AMENDMENT 2" is a nice touch.
This young man in lifted heels kept taking pictures of himself, then switching hats, and taking more pictures of himself.
I thought he was being super vain, but then a friend of mine pointed out that often this gets done to appear as if photos are from multiple days.
I thought he was being super vain, but then a friend of mine pointed out that often this gets done to appear as if photos are from multiple days.
A young Latina woman gave me the thumbs up while her friends took selfies in the background.
I didn't understand the wild inconsistencies with mask-wearing.
I didn't understand the wild inconsistencies with mask-wearing.
An angry-looking man marched around with a MICHIGAN FOR TRUMP sign.
Trump lost Michigan by over 154,000 votes.
Trump lost Michigan by over 154,000 votes.
This young man had a clever SOCIALism DISTANCING shirt on.
I hadn't realized comb-overs could start that early.
I hadn't realized comb-overs could start that early.
A small group with a stroller full of flags had a sign which read GAYS FOR TRUMP, which earned them annoyed glares from other Trump supporters.
A woman held signs, one reading "EXPOSE DOMINION SOFTWARE".
Dominion Software is the company that makes voting machines, and they WERE investigated... and found to count votes accurately.
Her other sign reads "Follow The Constitution"... which was also done.
Dominion Software is the company that makes voting machines, and they WERE investigated... and found to count votes accurately.
Her other sign reads "Follow The Constitution"... which was also done.
I just thought it was funny that this sign read LIVE OR FREE DIE.
It was... unnerving being there.
Surrounded by so many people, not wearing masks, coughing, some of them carrying weapons.
It looked like a cult, smelled like a cult, and walked, talked, and acted like a cult.
I was not sad to get out of DC that day.
Surrounded by so many people, not wearing masks, coughing, some of them carrying weapons.
It looked like a cult, smelled like a cult, and walked, talked, and acted like a cult.
I was not sad to get out of DC that day.
Unlike my other threads, none of these photos are for sale.
You can, however, see my other work (and buy it) here: http://benjancewicz.com/photography/
You can, however, see my other work (and buy it) here: http://benjancewicz.com/photography/
If you like independent photojournalism like this and want to support me, you can throw a couple bucks my way on Patreon.
https://www.patreon.com/benjancewicz
I'll send you cool art in the mail.
https://www.patreon.com/benjancewicz
I'll send you cool art in the mail.
If you gots no monies, which I totally get...
(we’re in a pandemic, inside a recession, inside a fascist presidency),
retweets and comments and DMs telling me which photos you like the best also give me wonderful dopamine boosts in these trying times.
(we’re in a pandemic, inside a recession, inside a fascist presidency),
retweets and comments and DMs telling me which photos you like the best also give me wonderful dopamine boosts in these trying times.
