
Confederate flag supporters rally in Alabama (screenshot/Twitter)
In an era where police officers assault and kill black people with impunity, the phrase "Black Lives Matter" has become a racial justice rallying cry across the United States. In hashtag form, #BlackLivesMatter educates and mobilizes countless activists on Twitter and other social media platforms. Neo-Confederates have co-opted the phrase for their own purposes with a hashtag of their own -- #SouthernLivesMatter.
On Saturday, Confederate flag enthusiasts protested against the flag's removal from Alabama statehouse grounds, waving their banner and carrying signs that read: "Southern Lives Matter," and "Secession Now."
Supporters took to Twitter to express solidarity with the rallyers in Birmingham. A few stand-out examples:
#southernlivesmatter http://t.co/B1Yn8TZc8B— TaterToT™ (@TaterToT™) 1435509148.0
Hundreds rally at AL Capitol to protest removal of Confederate flag; #SouthernLivesMatter - http://t.co/U10IQ1wCki http://t.co/ML5WtwBrXU— The Daily Mail Call (@The Daily Mail Call) 1435508222.0