AOC slammed by southern conservatives after ‘pull up to the South’ rally
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is facing backlash from southern conservatives after giving an impassioned speech in Montgomery, Alabama, last week demanding that northern progressives “retreat to the South.”
Speaking at the “All Roads Lead South” rally on May 16, the prominent “Squad” member claimed that the United States was not a true democracy until the 1960s, when the Voting Rights Act was passed, and took direct aim at the Supreme Court, accusing it of being “part of that long history of decline and oppression in America” under Chief Justice John Roberts.
Ocasio-Cortez then issued a highly controversial call to action, demanding that “the North” travel to red states like Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi to fight what she described as political injustice.
“If you’re not from these states, it’s time to stand up,” he wrote on social media following the incident.
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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on April 29, 2026. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
His remarks were quickly criticized by conservatives on social media; Many noted the irony of the congressman urging people to “step up” while standing under heavy guard during his speech behind bulletproof glass.
Conservative podcaster Todd Spears went viral with a TikTok reaction video mocking Ocasio-Cortez’s security setup, which reached 1 million views.
“[Pull up] and do what? Can you help us get the boat off the trailer, like cutting the grass, tracking a deer through the woods?” Spears said. “What exactly are you going to pack up and do? Because you are standing behind something like glass in your own hometown. Starting from here, come here—, you better bring a tank. This is not a good idea. You stay where you are.”
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks to reporters at an election night rally in Brooklyn, New York, on November 4, 2025, with early projections declaring Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani winning the New York City mayoralty. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)
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Spears also criticized the divisive nature of her lyrics, writing in the video caption, “It’s crazy how AOC talks about the North ‘rolling’ on the South and Alabama, like it’s still the 1860s.”
“Perhaps politicians should spend less time dividing Americans and more time fixing the mess we’re already in,” he added.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks to reporters after Mahmud Khalil arrives at Newark Liberty International Airport on June 21, 2025. (Michael Karas/NorthJersey.com)
Another TikTok creator, Kei Bennett, whose video has been viewed more than 800,000 times, warned Ocasio-Cortez supporters not to fall into this trap.
“I want to issue a stern warning to you not to take his advice and come close to Alabama,” Bennett said, jokingly citing local dangers ranging from feral hogs and baou alligators to locals who “will not hesitate to gang up and take you out of here.”
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Bennett, who has more than half a million followers on the platform, warned the congressman’s followers that “we’re not calling the cops here in the South, we’re calling the coroners,” adding: “Stay up there, leave us alone. We’re not bothering anyone.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
