On September 24, hundreds of people gathered in Boston Common to protest the spreading of false claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. “The goal of this rally was to show that Haitians and advocates in Boston stand in solidarity with Haitians in Springfield,” says Heather Yountz, an immigration attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute who spoke at the rally. Community organizers and activists like Yountz joined Boston’s Haitian community in condemning what they see as a racist smear against Haitian immigrants.

The rally is the latest demonstration of public opposition to Trump and Vance’s role in spreading rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield abducting and eating pets. Police have said there is no evidence that any pets were harmed by members of the immigrant community. Nonetheless, Republican politicians have continued to push this false narrative, sparking outrage in the Haitian community across the country.

Protests like the one in Boston have proliferated across the country since the September 10 presidential debate which saw Trump repeat the baseless claims. One week later, protesters showed up with their blue and red flags at a Trump campaign event on Long Island to express their indignation. Days later, about 200 people gathered outside of the North Miami City Hall in Florida to denounce the former President’s racist remarks. In Chicago, a rally was held on Federal Plaza, which brought together community members to show support for Haitians across the United States.

“It’s bittersweet,” Yountz says when asked about her experience attending the rally in Boston. “It’s horribly sad that we had to hold a rally to combat racist lies,” she added. Still, the rallies have become a source of joy for many in the Haitian community, who are thrilled to see the outpouring of support. Safirah Isme, whose family lives in Springfield, is one of those people. “The only thing that has brought any inkling of joy or optimism is how fast [people] worked to debunk the baseless claims, and [stand up against] the fear-mongering”, says Isme.

Isme’s family has experienced the consequences of Trump and Vance’s actions firsthand. Since coming into the national spotlight, the city of Springfield has been rocked by bomb threats that have closed schools and offices. The city’s residents — and particularly its Haitian population — are afraid to leave their homes, even to go shopping. Leaflets calling for the “mass deportation” of Haitians immigrants and referring to them as “beats off the fields” have been distributed around the city by members of extremist organizations such as the KKK and the Proud Boys. 

The repercussions of these actions are already being felt by people like Isme’s uncle, a recent Springfield resident. Several recruitment agencies have told him they will have to wait until after the election to decide whether to hire Haitians. The consequences are even more severe for others. Isme’s uncle’s brother-in-law got abused while walking around. “They threw raw eggs and debris at him while yelling offensive language [before] they left,” Isme shared. These experiences have prompted Isme’s family to consider leaving Springfield, fearing that the situation might worsen for them. “The stress has become almost unbearable”, Isme said.

At many of these gatherings, the focus seems to be on voting as a form of protest. Speaking to a crowd of protesters in Florida, Hedder Pierre-Joseph, President of the Democratic Haitian Caucus of Florida, shouted: “We are US citizens right now, and we are going to vote.” At the Boston rally, City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune – the first Haitian-American to hold this position – reiterated to the crowd the importance of voting. “We must make sure that the 300 000 registered Haitians in Florida vote. We must make sure that we vote here in Massachusetts”, said Louijeune.