The left is going nuts now saying that there would have been a peaceful demonstration but for a conservative that infiltrated their protest. LOL!
Conservative writer claims infiltration of D.C. protest
Monday - 10/10/2011, 6:09pm ET
By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - An editor for the conservative magazine The American Spectator claims to have infiltrated a group of anti-war protesters who swarmed the National Air and Space Museum only to be repelled by security guards using pepper spray.
The Washington museum was closed after the protest Saturday afternoon. Smithsonian officials said a group of 100 to 200 people tried to enter the museum but were barred by guards who said they could not bring in signs. Several were sickened by the spray.
Patrick Howley, an assistant editor at The American Spectator, wrote in a blog post that he was one of a “select few” protesters willing to storm the entrance and actually made it inside.
Howley could not be reached Monday, and his editors didn’t return messages seeking comment.
What he said is that he was with the group that set out to storm the NASM (National Air and Space Museum) to protest a drone exhibit inside. [A side note: I've seen it. It's on the far end of the museum, a long way from the entrance on the Mall side].
When they got to the entrance, the group quickly split: only a small set of people actually tried to enter. The writer was among them, and got sandwiched between one of the protesters and a guard with pepper spray. The writer was able to disentangle himself and enter the museum.
Howley wrote that he did so to take up a position where he could observe. But, when he turned around -- face still stinging -- he discovered that no one had followed him inside.
The museum closed and evacuated all visitors. The author left with the rest of them.
Wss he irresponsible? Yes. Once he knew what was going to happen, he should have either split off from the group and entered before them, or notified a colleague to be in position and hung back at the entrance. If you have ever been in the NASM, you know the second floor balcony overlooking the entrance from the Mall would have been a perfect observation point.
Did he incite the confrontation? I seriously doubt it.