Thread by @asanderford

Feels like we’ve done this before. Back on the protest beat this morning, this time with the Back the Blue rally at #Omaha’s Memorial Park. I’ll be live tweeting as I did from the Black Lives Matter protests. Thanks for following.

Hard to tell who painted what, but some folks left messages in chalk on the sidewalks at Memorial Park. A few are vulgar and won’t be shared here.

Here are some more of the images.

U.S. @RepDonBacon is here, talking to protesters who arrived early.

Spoke to Patriot Guard rider Bill Ruyf, 63, of Omaha. He helps protect the families of veterans from protesters. He said he came today to voice the opinion of the “silent majority.”

“We need to support our police. Watch the violence in our cities, and they’re getting blamed.”

Ruyf said people need to put the protests against police in perspective.

“There are 468,000 people in Omaha. Those 2,000 protesters do not represent the majority. The other 466,000 who didn’t show up do.”

Crowd starting to fill in near the memorials.

Bacon, reached a little later, said he’s hear to show support to the law enforcement officers who “do a great job” and “put their lives on the line.”

“You can be pro-reform and pro-cop.”

He cited the @omahaPOA’s unanimous endorsement of him in #NE02 vs. @karaforcongress.

Eastman, for her part, has joined Black Lives Matter protesters at the same park. Here’s an @OWHnews story sharing the differences between the #NE02 candidates on police reform.

omaha.com/news/crime/pol…

Here’s a different view of the crowd.

Just spoke with an Omaha couple with family in law enforcement. They declined to give their last name, but said they wanted to show their support for people who do the job.

Carol M., 63, left, said she was glad to see a crowd show up to support law enforcement.

Her husband, Mark M., left, 58, said, “99.9 percent of officers are doing a fine job.” He said there “are bad apples in every group, but we are here to support the 99 percent.”

Another, higher view of the group as it fills in. Speakers will do so from the memorial area, also shown. One of the organizers show is former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub.

Here is @opoapresident Sgt. Anthony Conner speaking with one half of the rally organizers, Bill of Bill and Evonne Williams. The Williamses have coordinated flights taking more than 3,500 veterans to Washington to view war monuments. Conner is a featured speaker today.

Spoke today with José Foosheé, 63, of Omaha, who said he served in the Air Force for 21 years and worked for the DoD for another 21. He said he wanted “a visible show of support against a noisy, fractious mob mentality.”

Foosheé said he’s “all for correcting specific instances (of police misconduct). But this broad labeling is not only inaccurate, it’s divisive.” His problem is not with peaceful protests, but with vandalism, theft and attacks on officers. “You don’t fix mistakes by making more.”

Former Mayor Hal Daub leads off by saying all should support law enforcement.

“Today we are here to honor those men and women who serve us well and keep the peace in our community.”

Had the pledge of allegiance and national anthem, sung by singers from Sarpy County.

Pastor James Patterson of Trinity Hope Foursquare Church prays for officers that they make the right decisions in tough situations, learn to de-escalate.

“Thank you for having the police there. Thank you for having people who will come when we call. Heal us of our divides.”

Protest organizer Bill Williams says he got a call about three weeks ago suggesting he hold a pro-police event.

Steve Spurgeon, a local musician who describes first responders as real-life super heroes. He’s playing “Wake up USA.” “First responders are black, white, Republican and Democrat. They work to protect us,” he said.

Sorry, song is “Wake up in the USA.”

A group of counter-protesters gathered. One of the protesters, who wouldn’t give her last name, Riley, 20, said she is all for anybody protesting, but said she wanted to come to show how important this issue is to her. “I have friends suffering,” she said, holding the sign.

Gene Haynes, recently retired principal of Omaha North High School, said he “backs the blue.”

He said the community needs officers. “We are living in a very challenging society and we need their support. I’ve learned that being kind is more important than being right.”

Haynes is talking about the importance of families and education in trying to help people understand civil rights. I grew up in the Jim Crow South and I had very few choices, he said. I had educators who pushed me in the right direction.

Haynes is saying that he is supportive of men and women in blue because f his experiences, including working with school resource officers. “It’s best to have them there than to not have them there.” “It’s not only Black lives,” he said. “Every life matters.”

Next up is Rebecca Barrientos-Patlan, a local activist and wife of a retired @OmahaPolice officer. She’s speaking to and for police wives. “We are the silent shadow in front of every badge.”

Spouses watch as their loved ones put on their uniforms and prepare for their days, thinking about the calls they’ll face that day, Barrientos-Patlan said. Every day we pray that our “blue heroes” come home each night. Every day they go out to fight crime.

“We pray that our cities and counties never, ever defund the police,” Barrientos-Patlan said.

“You don’t feel the fear of riots (and protests) until you feel it personally,” Barrientos-Patlan said. When you see a police officer on the street, please see the person, she said. They are human, too, she said.

A couple counter-protesters nearer the podium.

A look at the rally from high.

Got a little closer to read the signs. A few more.

Next up is Capt. Wayne Hudson of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Says he’s an Omaha native who appreciates the support for law enforcement. Over the years, I’ve seen a change in how we treat one another. “The time to build meaningful relationships is not in a crisis.”

Hudson says people must be strong enough to agree and agree to disageee with law enforcement. “We all must show compassion. We get compassion by humanizing one another.” We are all trying to reach the same goal, a place where everyone is treated with “dignity and respect.”

Douglas County and Omaha have better relations than most and will continue to do so, Hudson said. There’s more that can be done. But don’t look past the work that’s been and being done, he said.

The protester holding the sign is Robert Wagner, 44, of Omaha. He said he wanted to demonstrate silently to press City Prosecutor Matt Kuhse to charge James Scurlock’s shooter, Jake Gardner, in the shooting.

I couldn’t get the name of the sergeant who just spoke, @OmahaPolice. Can you let me know? She spoke about having her faith restored by random acts of kindness to officers from the public.

Sgt. Anthony Conner, head of @omahaPOA, said law enforcement officers are under siege from national media. The anti-police rhetoric is out of line. The hysteric media coverage that seeks to hold all officers accountable for the actions of the few is wrong.

Conner said 95 percent of suspects shot by police were actively attacking police officers. Says recent judiciary committee hearing devolved into activist complaints. “There is nothing more reckless” than making policy decisions based on anything but facts.

Conner says there is a false narrative against police and it needs to stop. It will be harder to find recruits. We must reject the national media narrative. We endorse candidates who support law enforcement, including @RepDonBacon.

Conner says @karaforcongress’ support for getting rid of qualified immunity is a direct attack on law enforcement and backdoor way to defund the police. Eastman has said she doesn’t want to defund the police.

They closed with a song. Sorry for the judder. Walking.

And there was a group of about 50 protesters greeting folks who headed out through Memorial Park.

One more view.

Thank you again for following along. Story to come on @OWHnews.

One more pic because I parked a mile away.

@threadreaderapp Please unroll.

And I forgot the picture of the cutest protester today, Kandie, 8.

Here is my story for @OWHnews on today's Back the Blue rally and the counter-protest from Black Lives Matter protesters at the same site, #Omaha's Memorial Park.

Thanks for following along.

omaha.com/news/back-the-…