Protester Experiences Racism During NYC Event

Savana Hernandez reported facing racist remarks while she covered a “No Kings” protest in New York City on Saturday. As a field reporter for Turning Point USA, she shared her encounter exclusively, describing the crowd as predominantly older and white.

Hernandez has been involved in covering various protests over the past several years. “For about six or seven years now, I’ve been on the ground reporting on protests, riots, and issues like the illegal immigration crisis—topics the mainstream media tends to ignore,” she explained.

During the protest, she recounted an interaction involving Charlie Kirk, who attempted to rationalize comments made by an older white male protester who openly identified as a “horrible racist and anti-Semite.” Hernandez responded, questioning how that characterization applied to her as an Asian-Hispanic woman hired to represent Kirk’s organization. “He called me a token, saying everyone needs a token,” she said, noting that protesters referred to all associated with Turning Point as “fascists.”

This type of rhetoric, she mentioned, has become quite frequent in these protests. “It’s ironic because those who accuse the right of racism often labeled me as ‘brown,’ insisting that I shouldn’t hold certain beliefs or that my views are wrong,” she reflected. “At these protests outside ICE facilities, I’ve faced threats of deportation as well.” Despite this, she wasn’t particularly bothered; she’s gotten used to such remarks.

Sara Hernandez, reflecting on her experiences, noted she doesn’t fear law enforcement like ICE since she follows the law, just like any other citizen. Yet, she often hears remarks claiming she would be deported or that she is merely a token seeking whiteness.

Despite this, she doesn’t embrace the labels assigned to her. “To be honest, I don’t even like being referred to as a Hispanic Asian woman,” she stated, further emphasizing how prejudicial views affect perceptions of her relationship with figures like Charlie Kirk.

She also observed the demographics at the NYC protest. “It seems to be mainly older white individuals, which is rather interesting. They tend to be the most vocal, and particularly, we’ve seen a lot of participation from older generations,” she noted.

Hernandez expressed confidence and determination about her future work: “I’m not intimidated by these individuals. They seem quite radicalized. However, I believe it’s crucial to have people who speak the truth in these situations. So whatever happens, happens,” she said.