Love Lives Here in Whitefish, Montana (Copy)

Whitefish, Montana, a town of about 8000 people, is known for its natural beauty and occasional celebrity sightings. In 2017, it received national news coverage when neo-Nazis were planning an armed march on Martin Luther King Day to promote white supremacy. A community group called “Love Lives Here” affiliated with the Montana Human Rights Network took a stand. 

As the date of the march approached, businesses that relied on tourism and had a strong interest in countering the perception of community intolerance, posted “Love Lives Here” stickers in their windows, along with images of menorahs. Then, the trolling began.

The neo-Nazis posted negative reviews online about these businesses to try to intimidate the owners and other community members. But the Love Lives Here campaign also had a digital strategy. The community responded by flooding the internet with positive reviews and patronizing the businesses – an example of what civil resistance scholars call a reverse boycott. 

A week before the scheduled neo-Nazi march, hundreds of families showed up to a ‘Love Not Hate’ rally that emphasized tolerance and a welcoming spirit. They created a ‘matzo ball soup brigade’ and wore blue wigs to “troll the trolls.” With all of this collective action, government officials were able to resist the pressure to allow the parade and instead denied the march their permit.