Right now: as a sort of street convention called #BreonnaCon for #BreonnaTaylor takes place in Louisville, KY, III% militia groups are gathering in the area.
I’ll be doing my best to document them throughout the day, particularly their interactions with BLM and law enforcement.
They just had a prayer and it seems like they’re going to march shortly. I’ll be livestreaming soon.
I count 24 of them, but something interesting: they tell me that actually another “Patriot” Militia will be showing up that they disavow and consider to be racist. It’s unclear to me how many that might draw.
But first, the militia has to pay to park.
So for the past couple hours, the militia group basically stayed in the parking lot. At first, they tried to block it off so only militia could use it.
Local PD told them they couldn’t do that.
They spent the time so far guarding their cars and talking to a handful of media.
At this point it’s started to rain, so some of them are getting into their cars.
One interesting development is that the group has a new name and no longer identifies with III%.
They are now the “National Patriotic Defense Team.”
So the competing militia rally got cancelled, so there’s basically a handful of those guys standing under a bridge near their rally point telling people to leave if they show up.
Meanwhile, the militia I started the day covering - which calls itself the “National Patriotic Defense Team” was just about to leave.
I asked their leader Tara "Hoggirl" Brandau whether they considered the day a success, and they said yes, opposing groups didn’t show.
The militia switched parking lots and ordered pizza.
They say that they’re “on standby” in case violence breaks out elsewhere, they’d drive to that location.
In the meantime, rifles are away and they’re just hanging out.
The “National Patriotic Defense Team” stuck around tonight, listening to a police radio.
Their plan was basically to go anywhere a situation formed that they thought police would be overwhelmed at.
None ever came, and it seems they’re wrapping up.
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VIDEO THREAD: Police clashed with pro-Palestine protesters Friday night in New York City as President Biden visited Stonewall for an "LGBTQ+ Gala" and protesters demanded "No war criminals at pride!"
All video in thread by @olgafe_images for @N2Sreports
2) NYPD's Strategic Response Group forcefully pushed back pro-Palestine activists and made several arrests throughout the evening both attempting to keep protesters away from the event featuring President Biden and off of the streets.
3) Pro-Palestine protesters trying to reach the Biden event ran through the James A. Farley Building, but encountered both police and Israel supporters when they exited.
THREAD: The FBI, relying on the work of a paid Confidential Human Source "CHS" who surveilles from his own vendor booth at gun shows, and an additional undercover agent, have arrested Mark Adams Prieto, who they charge with trafficking firearms and say planned a mass shooting.
2) The feds say Prieto came to their attention in October 2023, when a paid CHS who had talked to Prieto 15 times in the past, "began making suspicious and alarming comments, including advocating for a mass shooting, and specifically targeting “blacks, Jews, or Muslims.”
3) At a January 20-21, 2024 gun show, the feds say Prieto was introduced to an undercover agent at the CHS's vendor booth.
By the second day, Prieto was allegedly sharing details about a planned mass shooting attack against a rap concert to kill Black people.
BIG VIDEO THREAD: Former President Trump received mostly boos from the Libertarians (a small VIP section plus 4 front rows) and cheers of support tonight from his supporters (who got most of the other seats) as he spoke in front of the Libertarian National Convention, who on Sunday will be nominating their own candidate for president.
Trump spoke in front of the "Become Ungovernable" logo featuring the anarchist circle-A.
The speech was unprecedented where for a major party candidate speaking at a rival political party's nominating convention.
2) As the Libertarians (closest few rows to the president) largely booed Trump and the MAGA (about 3/4 of the room, closest to the press riser) cheered him, some Libertarians stood with their backs to the former president during the speech.
3) Some context for this event can be found in the thread below.
Trump supporters filled much of the room about an hour and a half before the Libertarian delegates finished their work in another ballroom.
VIDEO THREAD: Anti-Trump protesters assembled tonight in opposition to former President Trump's rally in the Bronx.
A brief scuffle broke out over Trump supporters' Israeli flag, which led police - some in riot gear - to separate the two sides as some protesters fled.
"Go home! Go home!" Trump supporters chanted from across the police line.
3) "If you don't like him [Trump], go suck a dick!" a Trump supporter told filmmaker @RodWebber, who proceeded to pretend to take him up on the offer literally: "You told me to suck a dick! Let's go!"
VIDEO THREAD: Barely a day after their encampment was raided, pro-Palestine activists set up another encampment in front of a George Washington University administrators' building.
In this uncut shot, you'll see the activists set up several new tents by surprise in minutes.
2) Pro-Palestine protesters at George Washington University linked arms after forming their new encampment.
Police formed a line facing them on one side (leaving the other side open) and pushed media and others with a vantage point significantly back.
3) One MPD officer took a quick selfie from the police line.
VIDEO THREAD: Police cleared the pro-Palestine encampment at George Washington University early this morning in a pre-dawn raid, arresting dozens and apparently deploying pepper spray.
"F--- the pigs!" yelled activists as police swarmed a wide perimeter around the area.
2) Police and DC Department of Public Works could be seen dumping tents and other camping equipment where the encampment had been at GW.
This comes just hours before Mayor Bowser is set to testify before Congress.
3) As the sun rose near George Washington University, the activist who were not arrested regrouped.
Organizers recommended those who the police had pepper-sprayed go home, and others go to jail support for their detained comrades.