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.
Urban police forces, especially those in college towns, are not your friend.
10-to-1 says there’ll be bunch of the retard “Good, ‘cause they wuz naaaatzeeees!” type Freepers show up on this thread soon.
Because being a “constitutional conservative” only applies when it’s something you agree with.
Your experience is meaningless. Half the Freepers are on the Antifa side it seems.
Thanks for your personal account. I’m glad you were able to remain unscathed.
Doesn’t matter. The media bellwethers very quickly and FIRMLY led the sheeple to a narrative that’s already set in granite.
Antifa are now, once again heroes.
The state of Virginia law enforcement reports to Terry McCullough. I do not trust him to do lead a fair investigation. I prefer Justice under direction of AG Sessions more.
Nuff said.
What has been the coverage of McCauliffe’s men going down in their chopper?
“Had the left not been there I am relatively certain no violence would have happened.”
How many recent violent political events have NOT involved the left/proggies/antifas/BLM/revcom/Democrats?
The Cops were COWARDS!!!~ They did NOTHING to STOP the VIOLENCE!!
Thanks for the report. You are very brave.
Do you know if the antifa people also had permits? And do you know anything about the one victim?
Thanks for the report! It’s always good to get the facts “from the horses mouth” instead of stylized propaganda.
The show was magnificently choreographed by the Left and the naive Nazis played the role intended for them . Now the MSM need only connect Trump to the Nazis and the narrative is set.
The Goose-stepping Morons got played like a fiddle and got their asses kicked in the process.
And by the way I am against removal of the statue of the confederate general. It is part and parcel of American History. I have toured his mansion in DC on the Potomac, and I hope there is no effort to demolish that great historical place.
I very much appreciated Altura’s contribution as I’m sure others are.
Thanks again, Altura.
C’ville once was one of my favorite places to visit.
I don’t know the answer to that. I also don’t know anything about the vehicle incident.
Police departments that condone these leftist friendly riots are just as evil as the rioters. Any chief of police who allows this deserves contempt as does their department. They have forsaken their oath for political benefit. They are partisans not police at that point.
Thank you for being there and for writing your eye witness account. It’s all so upsetting. It seems people can’t protest and stand for their beliefs in compliance with the law with adequate protection from those who believe violence is the answer.
Per Reddit:
“Unite the Right” is a Soros-funded honeypot psyop that employs the “Pied Piper” strategy to damage the Republican brand by insinuating that Antifa goons disguised as Nazis represent the views of the entire Right Wing in America (This is what Creamer and Democracy Partners have been up to lately)
u/Chaffetzisasnake
Some points that give the scam away:
Operation in Terry McAuliffe’s state. No reason for this other than to give McAuliffe national attention for opposing it, launching him into the 2020 Dem primary. He even tries to Streisand more useful idiots into showing up by ordering everyone to stay away.
Use of Confederate flag imagery. Republicans have no use for the Confederate flag (we never did, we crushed the Democrat rebellion that created the flag). We control the government for the vast majority of states at every level, the entire federal government, and we own practically everything except a few tech companies. The only states we don’t control are the ones that will always be cosmopolitan simply because they are coastal states whose economies run on imports and exports.
Ridiculously obvious propaganda shots that follow MSM and Democrats’ operating procedures of making a small group of 20 people appear to be a crowd of thousands.
Reports of violence against “counter-protesters” at an “impromptu” rally. No one spontaneously organizes to counter-protest an impromptu rally unless they are associated with the organizers of the rally themselves.
The name. “Unite the Right”. This is so obviously a “Pied Piper” op that I can’t even. It is supposed to make the organization appear to represent the views of the entire Right Wing, so of course they go around giving Roman salutes and waving confederate flags and shouting “White Power!” while wearing Trump hats. And then of course these same leftists load up their other twitter accounts and attack Trump for not denouncing them hard enough. Standard divide and conquer nonsense. They are going after what they perceive to be his base of Nazis while tarnishing the Republican brand.
I follow tons of actual right wing news sources and I didn’t hear a word about this nonsense until the day of. Meaning it was never meant to attract actual right wingers. It was just supposed to be their little group of antifa actors with hair cuts and collared shirts, all paid for and organized by Soros and directed by guys like Bob Creamer who staged the violent protests at Trump’s rallies a year ago.
“Unite the Right” is fake. All the people associated with it at a leadership level are controlled opposition. Don’t fall for this scam. Don’t give the Left anymore ammo to attack us as Nazis. But in the end don’t be too concerned, because the Left will label you a Nazi and attack you for supporting Trump no matter what else you do. Just stay strong and do the right thing and ignore the insanity of the Left. Don’t believe their lies.
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