by Rod Williams - There were competing 1 PM rallies at the capitol yesterday. There was the "Back the Badge" rally and a drive by horn-honking to support the people who are "occupying" the plaza and there was the people who are occupying the plaza. Members of the "People's Plaza" group have been occupying the plaza for about two weeks now. I am not sure if they are actually occupying the plaza or the sidewalk. I know at one time they were removed from the plaza.
I did not attend the event yesterday but watched a live stream of it for maybe an hour. The groups yelled at each other or tried to out-chant each other but as far as I could tell, there was no phsical altercations. Situations like this are obviously dangerous. If I had to bet, I would bet there are armed people among both groups. If some one would have thrown a cup of water on a member of the opposite group, that could of led to pushing, a blow, and then someone could have pulled and gun and several dead people could have been the result. Thankfully, it remained peaceful.
It was hard to tell how many people were in attendance at the Back the Badge rally. From the live steam it looked like no more than a couple dozen, and a couple dozen on the other side with others hanging around the edges watching. After the rally, more of the protesters swarmed the Plaza. Below is a video.
The start of the video looks like a fun jazzercise class. Protesting if fun until someone gets their head bashed in or killed in cross fire or a tragedy like Kent State happens, then it is not so fun anymore. The Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested 38 protesters charging them with misdemeanor criminal trespassing charges. Exactly what circumstances led to the arrest is not know. Information is sketchy.
The radicals or "protesters" (Back Lives Matter, Defend Black Lives, Antifa, People's Plaza group - they march under many names) have had free reign for about six weeks now with very little in the way of opposition. It has become clear that the police are not going to restore law and order. In Seattle, radicals have occupied several blocks of the city and are keeping police from entering the area. Similar things, with less success, have happened across the country. Protestors have been able to vandalize, commit arson, attack innocent people driving through areas and bash their cars with baseball bats and destroy cars and threaten lives. Statues have been toppled, businesses looted, and building burned down. White people have, at random, been subject to brutal assaults. At any time, protesters may block a street snarling traffic and disrupting commerce.
I detect that patience is wearing thin. Many people who have just stood by and watched it happen are talking more and more about retaking public spaces and protecting lives and property. If the police won't do it; citizens will. It has happened in a few places where citizens have shown up to stop radicals from toppling statues. I fear that if the police do not restore order we will see pitched battles in the street. Authorities in some cities have allowed protesters to patrol their autonomous zones heavily armed with military-style semi-automatic weapons. Police are simply making no effort to enforce the law. When counter demonstrations grow, one can almost be certain that among the counter demonstrators there will be armed people. This could get much worse before it gets better. People will likely die. It would be wise if the government would restore order before this happens.
Below is a video of the disturbance after yesterday's rally at Legislative Plaza where 32 people were arrested. For more on yesterday's event follow this link. For Fox 17's video coverage, follow this link. Nashville Scene's coverage here.
I did not attend the event yesterday but watched a live stream of it for maybe an hour. The groups yelled at each other or tried to out-chant each other but as far as I could tell, there was no phsical altercations. Situations like this are obviously dangerous. If I had to bet, I would bet there are armed people among both groups. If some one would have thrown a cup of water on a member of the opposite group, that could of led to pushing, a blow, and then someone could have pulled and gun and several dead people could have been the result. Thankfully, it remained peaceful.
It was hard to tell how many people were in attendance at the Back the Badge rally. From the live steam it looked like no more than a couple dozen, and a couple dozen on the other side with others hanging around the edges watching. After the rally, more of the protesters swarmed the Plaza. Below is a video.
The start of the video looks like a fun jazzercise class. Protesting if fun until someone gets their head bashed in or killed in cross fire or a tragedy like Kent State happens, then it is not so fun anymore. The Tennessee Highway Patrol arrested 38 protesters charging them with misdemeanor criminal trespassing charges. Exactly what circumstances led to the arrest is not know. Information is sketchy.
The radicals or "protesters" (Back Lives Matter, Defend Black Lives, Antifa, People's Plaza group - they march under many names) have had free reign for about six weeks now with very little in the way of opposition. It has become clear that the police are not going to restore law and order. In Seattle, radicals have occupied several blocks of the city and are keeping police from entering the area. Similar things, with less success, have happened across the country. Protestors have been able to vandalize, commit arson, attack innocent people driving through areas and bash their cars with baseball bats and destroy cars and threaten lives. Statues have been toppled, businesses looted, and building burned down. White people have, at random, been subject to brutal assaults. At any time, protesters may block a street snarling traffic and disrupting commerce.
I detect that patience is wearing thin. Many people who have just stood by and watched it happen are talking more and more about retaking public spaces and protecting lives and property. If the police won't do it; citizens will. It has happened in a few places where citizens have shown up to stop radicals from toppling statues. I fear that if the police do not restore order we will see pitched battles in the street. Authorities in some cities have allowed protesters to patrol their autonomous zones heavily armed with military-style semi-automatic weapons. Police are simply making no effort to enforce the law. When counter demonstrations grow, one can almost be certain that among the counter demonstrators there will be armed people. This could get much worse before it gets better. People will likely die. It would be wise if the government would restore order before this happens.
Below is a video of the disturbance after yesterday's rally at Legislative Plaza where 32 people were arrested. For more on yesterday's event follow this link. For Fox 17's video coverage, follow this link. Nashville Scene's coverage here.
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