There's this "Restrain the Right, let the Left run wild" LEO mentality.
Posted on 08/13/2017 10:08:46 AM PDT by Altura Ct.
I am not a writer but will do the best I can. I arrived about 10:30ish. Was actually surprised that I was able to find a parking space relatively close to Lee Park. In fact I thought that perhaps the turnout wouldn't be as big as I was anticipating because I didn't see much at first and I was only 5 blocks from ground zero but I was wrong. By the time I had walked one block toward the park the police presence was strong. Many in riot type gear. They had most streets and walkways blocked off funneling everyone into two or three entrances to ground zero. As I got closer to the park you could feel the tension. The Antifa presence was strong as was BLM. Didn't see many 'alt-righters' till I got to the park. (One note here - I think some people were there just to watch. It also wasn't always clear who was who.)
E Market St was the only way the police were allowing entrance to the park. The park is not huge. I'm guessing, but maybe 1.5 acres or so. It also is on a mound/hill so you have take steps up from Market St to get to it. There are two sets of steps up to the park from Market St. I was coming from the south. The northern entrance was for those protesting the removal of the statue and had been cordoned off as best they could. The southern entrance was for everyone else although most people in the park were statue removal protesters (alt-right). As I got to the park the crowds were already pretty thick. The northern entrance had some priest/religious figure locking arms with antifa and blocking the entrance. The rhetoric and name calling was heavy from both sides. By the time I got to the park it was maybe 10:45 with the event slated to start @ noon. It looked to me there were about 300-400 alt-righters up top at the park and maybe 1000 -1500 others on the street being a mixture of the left and right but mostly left. By noon I would say the total number of people on all sides had swelled to 4-5,000. I position myself at the southern entrance on top of a retaining wall alongside 3 or 4 reporters/photographers. There were plenty of BLM signs, African Flags & various left supporting banners/flags. Of course many signs spouting about hatred and Nazi's too. The right had many Confederate Flags, various state flags & US flags, A Few Don't Tread On Me and a couple I didn't recognize. I've seen some pictures that show a few Nazi Flags/armbands but I didn't see them. Not saying there weren't there but again I didn't see them.
About 11:10 or so a group of about 50-75 statue supporters were making their way down Market street toward the park from the South. As they approached the southern entrance to the park is when the first violence started. Bottles of water, balloons of paint and bags of urine were thrown at them from the crowd. When that happen the shoving started, fist were flying and people hitting each other with sticks. Of course the right stood up for themselves. Now I'm not saying some on the right wouldn't be violent anyway BUT I can say for a fact they didn't start it. Also the police did nothing to quell the violence. Once it started it went on for at least 30-40 minutes or more with crap flying every which way. Also within this 30 + minutes a second group of about the same size also made there way down the street and this just exacerbated the chaos.
In looking at the pictures I took I see there aren't really any during this timeframe. I also wish I had taken more overall but all I know is if you weren't looking up and paying attention you were liable to be hit. Crap was being thrown in all directions but in a general direction without care to where it landed. I myself stopped 6 bottles coming in my direction, one from hitting the photographer next to me in the head.
As we approached noon the violence and shouting was prevalent. At this point the police started making the announcement on a bullhorn that the alt-right was having what had been declared an illegal gathering and that they must disperse or be arrested. They did nothing to contain nor restrain the left only the right. The right, who had legally obtain a permit to be there. They complied which I not sure if I was in charge I would have done, but that is another story. After this, while things continued to be chaotic people became more spread out and violence started to dissipate. As a side note I didn't see the vehicle thing.
I've never been in the middle of something like this. I found it fascinating & unnerving at the same time. In a split second things can escalate.
You can say what you want about those that were present on the right. They were there to speak to the removal of that statue and history. The MSM and politicians are railing on about the hatred and violence from the 'white supremacist' yesterday? But the left was full of vitriol & had no problem with violence even though you'd never know it from the press. I am not saying those on the right were all boy scouts but they had a right to be there and to have their right protected to assemble. Had the left not been there I am relatively certain no violence would have happened.
Thank you for your report. I was very enlightening and validates a lot of what I suspected.
Does anyone know if the radical rioters had a permit to demonstrate?
Thank you for posting this
I hope the driver gets a real good lawyer. I also suspect that sorting that out in the courts will get ugly.
What is a driver supposed to do when surrounded by a mob in the street, threatening direct violence? That question has never been answered. It was first asked during the BLM protests a few years ago. I can't see that anyone has the right to block traffic in the street, yet it was allowed back then.
Glad you are ok. Scary stuff.
Apparently.
There's this "Restrain the Right, let the Left run wild" LEO mentality.
They also started throwing things at the Unite the Right group.
I have read that this included frozen water bottles, soda cans filled with cement and balloons filled with urine. That sounds premeditated to me.
Of course it was premeditated. Antifa was all over social media planning to “kill Nazis” for a week before the rally.
I totally agree with what you’ve just said, and there was also a brief report on FOX yesterday that there was a source that said the young man who drove the car might have just been scared. I’m suspecting a lot of us might have done the same thing under similar circumstances. It’s not unrealistic to argue the driver feared for his life and safety. As for the helicopter crash—tragic. Judge Janine even mentioned trying to blame it on the march organizers, and was advocating possible charges. Ridiculous. The violence was started from the left.
There is no doubt.
They did not have permits. Only the crowd protesting the removal of the statue.
This country is toast. Finished. Unity is impossible at this point. Too many people dont want unity and they are all on the left, and they large in numbers and have much power behind them.
Thanks for the on scene report.
Exactly.
‘Now the MSM need only connect Trump to the Nazis and the narrative is set.’
that ship has already sailed; and those who voted for Trump are being thrown into the brig along with him...
the obliteration of’wrong-thinking’ white men is full steam ahead...
And WHERE is my $55,000 for my hospital visit..?!?!?!
Ok, thanks.
Two cars were stopped in front of him by protestors blocking the intersection. He crashed into the back of the second car, which caused the first car to crash into protesters.
HOW MANY people here actually BELIEVE this fool was in the KKK...?
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