Today at #StoneMountainGA was some of the most intense street violence between left and right I've seen since Charlottesville.
In this fight, two were left bloodied after a head was smashed by baseball bat.
I'll be posting HD video as I go through it in this thread.
In this fight, two were left bloodied after a head was smashed by baseball bat.
I'll be posting HD video as I go through it in this thread.
At least a few fights went down this way: The left would go to swipe away a Confederate Flag from a right-winger, then the right winger would retaliate, and the fight would escalate.
The presence of firearms in these fights raised the stakes, but no shots were fired.
The presence of firearms in these fights raised the stakes, but no shots were fired.
Generally, the protesters would set fire to / step on the Confederate Flags once they could bring them into their side of the protest.
Let's start at the beginning (the rest of the thread will be as chronological as I can.)
Most of the right apparently met somewhere else, but a handful of III% and confederate people met right by the FLOWER Coalition's meetup spot. They were confronted and called "traitor."
Most of the right apparently met somewhere else, but a handful of III% and confederate people met right by the FLOWER Coalition's meetup spot. They were confronted and called "traitor."
"Nazis, go home!" chanted anti-fascists at the Confederate supporters.
Tensions began to rise as a bottle of urine was poured onto the Confederate people.
Tensions began to rise as a bottle of urine was poured onto the Confederate people.
From the beginning, the right was outgunned and vastly outnumbered. As they first began their retreat, one Confederate guy's flash was stolen right off the poll.
"Fuck your rag!" protesters said as they set it on fire.
"Fuck your rag!" protesters said as they set it on fire.
The III% group led by Chris Hill retreated into a wall. An anti-Confederate activist pulled a handgun out of his holster, which he held in his hand facing the ground.
Hill began keeping his hand on his holstered handgun. Ultimately, the anti-Confederate put his away.
Hill began keeping his hand on his holstered handgun. Ultimately, the anti-Confederate put his away.
One of the Confederate guys (armed with a shotgun) stood outside his car.
A Coalition Of Armed Labor @ArmedLabor activist told him he'd have safe passage if he'd get in truck and leave.
A Coalition Of Armed Labor @ArmedLabor activist told him he'd have safe passage if he'd get in truck and leave.
The Confederate guy got in his car, but got out and tried to file a criminal complaint when he was informed a sticker was on his car.
The police seemed not to particularly care, but he saluted them and told him he's with them.
The police seemed not to particularly care, but he saluted them and told him he's with them.
As a quick reminder, I'm tweeting HD summary clips, but you can see the full, totally uncut version of everything I shot in the livestream.
It totals about 5 hours of uncut footage.
Part 1:
Part 2:
It totals about 5 hours of uncut footage.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Around the corner from that parking lot was W Mountain Street. This block between Main St. and Ridge Ave (outside Stone Mountain First United Methodist Church) ended up being the battlefield for most of the day.
This was the first flag swipe/burn stunt I saw at that location.
This was the first flag swipe/burn stunt I saw at that location.
"Look at this peak male performance here" an antifascist activist mocked a right winger.
The situation was escalating in tension but didn't turn into punches.
A couple right-wingers then maced the @flowerunited crowd.
The situation was escalating in tension but didn't turn into punches.
A couple right-wingers then maced the @flowerunited crowd.
Immediately after the macing incident, someone on the leftist side threw a firework that released smoke into the crowd.
It was startling (especially with so many guns around) and caused some coughing but - to be clear - it wasn't a chemical irritant like tear gas.
It was startling (especially with so many guns around) and caused some coughing but - to be clear - it wasn't a chemical irritant like tear gas.
Not worth making a video clip, but one of the right-wingers' car had a writing on it reading "My Life Matters! Proud of what and who I am! A White man."
A man wearing a shirt reading "White, Straight, Republican, Male: How else can I piss you off today?" was arguing with some leftists. (This is my livestream angle).
I tried to take a photo of his shirt, and he tried to grab my camera.
He then did the same to a female photog.
I tried to take a photo of his shirt, and he tried to grab my camera.
He then did the same to a female photog.
Side note: If you were wondering what the police were doing this entire time, the answer is "nothing, so far."
Later in my footage, you'll see how the police ended the event, but the short answer is: Police never stepped between two sides. No intervening in violence.
Later in my footage, you'll see how the police ended the event, but the short answer is: Police never stepped between two sides. No intervening in violence.
Protesters approached the right with a Confederate flag they apparently took. I think one had the intention of setting it on fire near them, but he pulled back.
As it burned, a black-bloc clad activist with a shotgun said "Fuck that fucking flag and everything it stands for."
As it burned, a black-bloc clad activist with a shotgun said "Fuck that fucking flag and everything it stands for."
Chronologically, after my previous tweet is around when some of the serious fighting I posted before happened.
After that fight, another one started with two older people. Again, while no shots were fired, the presence of long guns being held by people actively involving themselves in fights involving fists and sticks was dangerous, to put it plainly.
After that fight, a smoke grenade landed in the right wing side. The protesters basically threw it, along with rocks, back and forth for the next minute.
Some right wingers just left altogether at this point.
As one left, someone threw a water bottle at the car, and another kicked it, denting it.
An armed Confederate guy then claimed "You don't want peace, you want to die. That's assault on a home. That's death right there."
As one left, someone threw a water bottle at the car, and another kicked it, denting it.
An armed Confederate guy then claimed "You don't want peace, you want to die. That's assault on a home. That's death right there."
After approximately five hours of on-and-off violence, the police decided to step in.
Police Chief Chancey H. Troutman of Stone Mountain PD led lines of riot cops to clear the streets by pushing both sides in one direction.
Police Chief Chancey H. Troutman of Stone Mountain PD led lines of riot cops to clear the streets by pushing both sides in one direction.
As the riot police pushed forward, one activist confronted the police. One officer pulled out mace.
"What? What? Spay it motherfucker!"
The cop maced the crowd.
I wasn't directly hit or blinded but my skin burned until I showered at the hotel.
"What? What? Spay it motherfucker!"
The cop maced the crowd.
I wasn't directly hit or blinded but my skin burned until I showered at the hotel.
The police line pushed a black-bloc-clad activist with a shotgun right toward some III% guys. III% leader Chris Hill kept his hand on his gun, as both he and shotgun guy tried to convince police the other was a threat.
Police kept pushing the III%ers and leftist activist with a shotgun together, and didn't intervene as two kept their hands on their pistols and accused the leftist of making terroristic threats.
"Call the manager Karen," he said.
A cop invited him to take his gun safety class.
"Call the manager Karen," he said.
A cop invited him to take his gun safety class.
Here is my full HD summary video of the action that occurred at #StoneMountainGA today. As always, all footage available for license.
Photos: Confederate supporters face off with FrontLine Organization Working to End Racism (FLOWER) at Stone Mountain.
All images by me and available for license.
All images by me and available for license.
Photoset for a tense moment: Antifascist activist with a shotgun faces off with III% Militia members who reach for their sidearms at #StoneMountainGA.
Yesterday, police waited during approximately five hours of fighting, sometimes turning bloody, before moving in, deploying mace on the crowd at least once.
In a statement to CBS46, they boast "zero injury complaints, zero arrests, and no uses of force."
cbs46.com/news/defend-th…
In a statement to CBS46, they boast "zero injury complaints, zero arrests, and no uses of force."
cbs46.com/news/defend-th…
