Thomas MacMillan Photo
“Racist bigots go home!” called out protestors outside of Toad’s Place Tuesday night.
“Ted is right!” countered a Meriden firearms trainer who showed up for a counter-protest.
Those competing messages flew outside the York Street music hall Tuesday, where dozens of protestors marched and chanted against a performance by outspoken right-wing rocker Ted Nugent.
The protest was a response to Nugent’s comments about Trayvon Martin, the black teenager whose death ignited a nationwide debate about race after he was killed by a white neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder or manslaughter for shooting Martin to death, prompting nationwide protests.
Nugent described Martin as a “dope-smoking, racist gangsta wannabe” and said that “black communities” have a “mindless tendency to violence.” Nugent also said Martin eagerly got into fights with people and “got justice” as result of his meeting with Zimmerman.
Tuesday’s protest was organized by “an ad hoc coalition” of groups, according to Chris Garaffa of Act Now To Stop War and End Racism. The coalition included Seminarians for a Democratic Society, My Brother’s Keeper, and Unidad Latina En Accion.
At 6 p.m., Garaffa mustered with other protesters at the corner of York and Grove streets. He said he was there to speak out against Toad’s Place “giving this racist bigot a platform to say his hate speech.”
“If Toad’s Place had a conscience, they would have canceled the show,” he said.
James Rawlings, president of the New Haven NAACP, had called on Toad’s Place owner Brian Phelps to cancel the planned Nugent show. In a letter CC’d to the Board of Aldermen, Phelps said that he does not agree with Nugent’s “divisive comments on the Zimmerman trial. However, Toad’s entered into a contract with Mr. Nugent for his performance before these comments were made. Toad’s now must honor its obligations to both Mr. Nugent and the ticket holders.”
“We respect his position,” said Rawlings. He said he was “pleased with Phelps’ apology letter.”
Rawlings nonetheless joined the line of demonstrators marching in front of Toad’s. “We’re not going to tolerate racism and bigotry in our community,” he said.
Barbara Fair (pictured), one of the organizers of the protest, said Toad’s should have canceled the show, given that the country is “trying to heal as a nation” after the Zimmerman case. She said she wasn’t satisfied by Phelps explanation that he couldn’t cancel the show.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Cheshire’s Joe Rapetski said of the protest. He was standing in line to see the show. “It’s blown out of proportion. Ted is very outspoken. He speaks the truth.” He said he agrees with Nugent’s view of the Zimmerman case, even if Nugent as “a little harsh.”
“Ted Motherfucking Nugent!” shouted John Ferko, standing nearby in line and wearing a Nugent T‑shirt.
“He says what he thinks,” Chuck Taylor, another fan, said of Nugent. “People don’t like it. Tough shit.” He said he “definitely” agrees with Nugent about Martin.
Martin was in the wrong place at the wrong time, said Nancy, who declined to give her last name. “It was a terrible accident.”
E. Jonathan Hardy, a 42-year-old Meriden firearms training instructor (at right in photo) was among a group of about a dozen counter-protestors on the sidewalk. He held a sign reading “Ted Is Right.” He said Nugent is right about Martin. “Nobody wants to look at the trial,” he said. An autopsy revealed that Martin’s “liver was spotted,” he said. Martin was a drug user who was going to die sooner or later, Hardy said.
Hardy and other counter protestors edged closer to the marching protestors as the evening went on, leading to some shouting confrontations and competing chants.
At 7:30 p.m., the venue’s doors opened and Nugent fans began to file in. Many wore NRA T‑shirts or shirts with Second Amendment-inspired slogans.
Shortly after 8 p.m., the protestors ceased their marching and reconvened across the street.
About 10 Yale and New Haven cops were on the scene during the protest. Lt. Jeff Hoffman said cops made no arrests.