A Fort Lauderdale rally headlined by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) was abruptly canceled Thursday after right-wing agitator Laura Loomer publicly pressured the venue — and organizers are vowing to push ahead with a rescheduled event this weekend.
The "Chomp the Oligarchy" rally had been set for Friday, August 14, at The Venue Fort Lauderdale, just days before Florida's August 18 primary. The Washington Examiner reported the get-out-the-vote event was hosted by Gen Z for Change, Miami DSA, Broward County DSA, and the Florida Youth Justice Coalition, and was meant to boost progressive challengers Oliver Larkin, who is running against Rep. Jared Moskowitz, and Elijah Manley, who is challenging Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Also billed was Melat Kiros, the 29-year-old democratic socialist who ousted 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado's June primary and is now the Democratic nominee in the state's 1st Congressional District.
In a statement shared by Loomer — a self-avowed Islamophobe — The Venue's representatives said it pulled the booking after reviewing the promotional materials and citing "increased security concerns as well as the welfare of attendees and staff." The statement added that the property is "Jewish-owned and operated."
Loomer, an unofficial and influential adviser to President Donald Trump, has been pressuring the venue to cancel if Tlaib appeared. Tlaib, a member of progressive group The Squad, has been a frequent target of the right because of her views on the Middle East and strong stance against Israel.
Reports on social media claimed the venue had offered to keep the booking if organizers agreed to bar Tlaib from speaking. Gen Z for Change refused, and the booking was scrapped.
Organizers responded defiantly. "They can take us out the building but they can't stop us from building this movement," Kiros posted, pledging to move "full steam ahead" with a rescheduled rally.
Loomer took a public victory lap. She labeled the planned event "a modern day pogrom" and demanded to know why House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had not condemned it.
Tlaib has faced similar venue cancellations before. In November 2023, Arizona State University scrapped a Tempe campus event featuring the congresswoman just hours before it was set to begin.
