AOC Takes Heat After Telling Northerners To ‘Pull Up To The South’
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is facing retaliation from Southern conservatives over remarks at a rally calling on Northerners to come down and take on red states.
Ocasio-Cortez spoke May 16 at the “All Roads Lead South” rally in Montgomery, the New York Post (NYP) reported. She called on progressives in northern states to travel to Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Mississippi to fight what she called political injustice. Online, she then added: “If you’re not from these states, it’s time to stop. »
Critics have focused on the optics. The congresswoman delivered her call to action from behind bulletproof glass, the New York Times reported, a setup that conservatives derided as inconsistent with her confrontational message. (RELATED: …AOC Just Experienced Her Worst Case of Historical Stupidity Yet)
Conservative podcaster Todd Spears posted a TikTok video that attracted more than a million views. “Roll over and do what exactly? Because you’re standing behind glass in your own hometown. You come here starting with this, you better bring a tank. That’s not a good idea. You stay where you are,” Spears said in the video.
AOC tells New Yorkers to ‘stop’ in Alabama in fiery rally speech https://t.co/iTDAv6r5GV pic.twitter.com/v6wefT0hvt
– New York Post (@nypost) May 24, 2026
TikTok creator Kei Bennett generated over 900,000 views with her own reaction. “Here in the South, we don’t call the cops, we call the coroners,” Bennett said, telling the congresswoman’s supporters: “Stay up there, leave us alone. We’re not bothering anyone.”
Thousands of people descended on the Alabama State Capitol for the day of action, the Alabama Political Reporter found. Organizers held the rally in response to recent Supreme Court rulings and Republican redistricting plans that civil rights advocates say weaken black voting power, the outlet reported.
From the rally stage, Ocasio-Cortez warned Republicans against assuming the political map would remain in their favor, Ms. Magazine reported. “They think they can take us out of power. They don’t know the sleeping giant they just woke up,” she said, according to the media outlet.
