We are ‘being exterminated’: Twitter neo-Confederates express panic with #SouthernLivesMatter

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: