Humboldt Park man guilty in 2017 stabbing at Northerly Island concert

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | 8/30/2019 | Andy Grimm

[Boogieman]

A Humboldt Park man was found guilty Friday of aggravated battery charges for stabbing a man who confronted him about his purported membership in a white nationalist group outside a concert at Northerly Island in 2017.

Brushing aside claims of self-defense during a two-day bench trial, Judge William Hooks on Friday found that Thomas Christensen badly overreacted to a “sophomoric” confrontation with a 30-year-old fellow concertgoer who called him out as a member of the white nationalist Proud Boys, and got in a scuffle that left Christensen with cut on his lip and scalp.

“The reaction of the defendant to his interactions and his confrontation, where he was confronted by this rather immature, sophomoric victim, was disproportionate. It was over the top,” Hooks said.

Donning a pair of rubber gloves and removing the knife from a box on his desk, Hooks examined the “folding dagger,” pulling out a tape measure to mark the length of the blade at about 3 inches.

“These were death blows,” Hooks said. “The defendant has already won, because this is not a murder case.”

Hooks revoked bail for Christensen, who had been free on $250,000 bond since his arrest in 2017. Stripping off his watch and handing his wallet to his attorney, Christensen walked out of the courtroom to a holding cell, escorted by courtroom security officers.

Outside the courthouse, Christensen’s friend, Nick Stiso, said Christensen was indeed a member of the Proud Boys, a group Stiso described as a “fraternity” that is “pro-American.” He said the group is often misidentified as a white nationalist or white power group.

[Boogieman]

This is a Proud Boy that was on trial in Chicago. According to Gavin McInnes, he was apparently previously attacked by a group of Antifa at the Chicago punk rock bar "Delilah's", beaten with pool cues and hospitalized, so that may explain why he pulled a knife when Antifa came after him again in this incident at the concert.

[immadashell]

This is a case of the extreme far left group (Antifa) attacking the extreme far right group (Proud Boys).

[Kozak]

Meanwhile Black dudes in Chicago walk with recognizance bonds for attempted murder, assault on police, etc etc.

[American in Israel]

So if the judge was attacked and suffered a cut lip and scalp, would he also call that sophomoric and refuse to defend himself or charge the attacker with a crime?

[shanover]

Proud Boys are nothing even close to being white nationalist as the left deems as a “hate group”. The term is so loosely thrown around now and we are letting the left control language. I agree with much of what they stand for. I am white. I am “nationalist” who loves America and traditional values etc. I care less about skin color. I HATE Antifa, Fascists,Socialists,Communists AND Supremacists. It is maddening that Antifa gets a pass on everything they do.

[EEGator]

How are the Proud Boys White Nationalists with Blacks and homos in their ranks?

[Tom in SFCA]

The Proud Boys are NOT an ‘extreme far right group.’

You should stop telling evil commie lies.