Photo: Gawker

CLEVELAND — In the public square on Tuesday morning, as the Patriotic Millionaires spoke out from the podium against money in politics, local teen Zach Alberty unfurled a sign asking Americans to Make Memes Great Again.

“I got yelled at by the Westboro Baptist Church yesterday,” Alberty, dressed all in black, with a five-inch mohawk, told Gawker. “Everyone here has all these bad, boring signs. They’re all so hateful. I just wanted to make people smile. Also, we really do need to make memes great again.”

Asked what his favorite meme was, Alberty found it difficult to chose just one: “There are some really great old Pepe memes.”

Albert’s older sister Emily, a local teacher, was also carrying a sign, protesting against cuts to school budgets targeting libraries. “He’s getting all the attention,” she said with an eye roll and a smile.