Lydia Davis Confronts Hostile Protesters Who Support Violence and Call for Assassination of Conservatives

Violent Rhetoric and Physical Confrontation

Lydia Davis found herself in a tense confrontation with hostile protesters who escalated from verbal attacks to physical aggression. The encounter began with a protester telling Davis she "should have been swallowed instead of born," to which Davis responded by pointing out the irony of such a statement coming from someone presumably claiming to support women's rights.

The situation quickly deteriorated when protesters began throwing water at Davis and her team. Davis repeatedly called out this behavior, emphasizing that physical acts like throwing water on people constitute unacceptable conduct and even labeling it as fascism—the very thing her opponents accused her of representing.

Open Support for Political Assassination

The most disturbing moment came when Davis directly asked a protester if they supported what had happened to her, and the protester responded affirmatively. When Davis pressed further, asking if they supported assassinating people who share her beliefs, the protester replied that they support "assassinating fascists."

Davis challenged the protester to define what a fascist actually is, but the protester refused to engage, saying they weren't there to have that conversation. This refusal to substantiate serious accusations while simultaneously endorsing violence exemplified the confrontation's troubling nature.

Calling Out the Real Fascism

Throughout the encounter, Davis pointed out the fundamental contradiction in her opponents' behavior. She argued that those throwing water, hurling insults, and supporting violence against political opponents were actually the ones engaging in fascist behavior by standing against free speech.

Davis made clear that the whole world was watching how these protesters were acting, particularly noting their treatment of women and their position on women's issues. She emphasized that their actions revealed they were not genuinely on the side of women, despite their claims to the contrary.

The confrontation serves as a stark example of the hostile environment facing conservative speakers and the dangerous rhetoric that has become normalized among certain activist groups who claim to fight fascism while employing tactics that suppress dissent and endorse political violence.