On Thursday, the words "Grosse Pointe Antifa" started trending on Twitter, because — oh shit, where do we even start with this one.
Grosse Pointe, the well-do-do neighboring communities of hardscrabble Detroit, came under the national spotlight during Tuesday's contentious Wayne County Board of Canvassers meeting. In an unprecedented move, the board's two Republicans — Monica Palmer of Grosse Pointe Woods and William Hartmann of Wyandotte, another one of Detroit's more prosperous neighbors — voted against certifying the county's election results due to minor and typical discrepancies in the tally of the votes. After intense public backlash, including calls that they were attempting to disenfranchise the nation's Blackest big city, Detroit, the two Republicans changed their votes.
But on Wednesday, they changed their minds again and rescinded their votes, reportedly after Palmer received threats from "Antifa from Grosse Pointe." (And also after President Donald Trump reportedly called them.)
I can confirm from texts shown to me that Wayne County Republican canvasser says she‘s received threats post-meeting.
— Kayla Ruble (@RubleKB) November 19, 2020
She says they’ve come from both sides, the right & the left, specifically Antifa from Grosse Pointe.
Yes, Michiganders, you read that last part correctly
Understandably, this combination of words — "Antifa of Grosse Pointe" — caused metro Detroiters to collectively lose their shit.
Hearing that this month’s Grosse Pointe Antifa meeting is being moved from the Yacht Club to the Country Club.
— John Mozena (@johnmoz) November 19, 2020
Grosse Pointe Antifa clash with Grosse Pointe Proud Boys during contentious rally and match play tournament. pic.twitter.com/XjEGQHEH7I
— Gretchen R. Hammond (@GretchRHammond) November 19, 2020
CONFIRMED: Real photo of Grosse Pointe antifa. pic.twitter.com/g9gZxoxw1l
— Detroit Will Breathe (@DETWILLBREATHE) November 19, 2020
Grosse Pointe Antifa, Stand Back and Stand by!! pic.twitter.com/WbdRgUacjY
— Be wary, sugar looks like salt, but it isn't... (@TheLegitRebecca) November 19, 2020
Seeing Grosse Pointe Antifa trending made me spit out my coffee on my keyboard. Thanks for the laughs, Republicans.
— Motor City Muckraker (@MCmuckraker) November 19, 2020
I'm still laughing "Grosse Pointe Antifa" dear lord I don't think I'll actually stop laughing about this. This is pure Michigander comedy gold.
— Julia Rose O'Hara (@JujRose) November 19, 2020
The thing is, Antifa of Grosse Pointe is really real. We have proof.
When we attended one of the protests against police brutality in Detroit this summer, a young person taught us how to use a bucket to thwart police smoke bombs. They said they learned this technique from the internet while reading about the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. At the end of the night, they told us they were going home to their parents' in Grosse Pointe.
It should come as no surprise that some of the highly educated children of some of the richest people in the world, living next to one of the most famously economically devastated big cities in the world, would become radicalized.
How can you not?
Plus, "Grosse Pointe Antifa" is real because they have a T-shirt. You can buy one here.
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