Ford Fischer Profile picture
Sep 6, 2020 7 tweets 7 min read Read on X
PHOTO THREAD: Armed pro-Trump and conservative activists with the "Viking Militia" marched to City Hall in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, where they were confronted by antifascist and antiracist protesters.

All photos in thread available for license. ImageImageImageImage
Following a confrontation, the militia group retreated. The counter-protesters celebrated, including chants of "No justice, no derby!" ImageImageImageImage
It was only after the right-wing side of the conflict retreated that police entered the area in a riot formation. ImageImage
On Saturday afternoon, the "Not Fucking Around Coalition" - aka #NFAC - also gathered at a park nearby Churchill downs, and marched there just ahead of the Kentucky Derby. ImageImageImageImage
Rather than confronting them directly, police had a fence erected and stood in a riot formation closer to Churchill Downs itself. This was effective in preventing any direct confrontation - or even interaction - between police and the NFAC. ImageImageImageImage
The #NFAC returned to Wyandotte Park where they held a final formation led by John Fitzgerald "Grandmaster Jay" Johnson, who led the group in final chants of "Black power!" before ordering his members to disperse. ImageImageImageImage
As with my videos, all photos available for licensing.

For more details of yesterday's event including video, see my tread beginning here.

#KentuckyDerby #LouisvilleProtests

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More from @FordFischer

Apr 12
BREAKING THREAD: On April 11, Russell Vane IV - the subject of my reporting who allegedly attempted to provoke a Virginia militia group into producing explosives - was arrested.

He is charged with "Attempted production of a biological agent or toxin."


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2) According to the criminal complaint, the FBI received multiple tips after I published the story about Vane - who went by Duke - on April 1.

He apparently tried to legally change his name on April 3, the same day a false obituary of him appeared.

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3) The feds cite my reporting, where I show unclassified government documents that the Virginia Kekoas militia members were allegedly handed by Duke, and he later appears to acknowledge giving them.






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Read 19 tweets
Apr 1
INVESTIGATIVE VIDEO THREAD: The Virginia Kekoas, a pro-gun prepper militia based in Eastern Virginia and formerly affiliated with the Boogaloo movement, tells News2Share that they recently kicked out a member they believe may have been plotting an explosives-related entrapment attempt against the group, or worse.

Russell Richardson Vane IV first made contact with the Virginia Kekoas in April 2022, according to the group's leader Eddie Ray, who goes by "ICE" and member Cody Beckner, who goes by "Sasquatch." Vane allegedly adopted the call sign "Duke."

The pair provided extensive screenshots and documents showing that since joining, Vane - as "Duke" - engaged in an escalating sequence of unusual behavior that included apparent provocations for the group to develop homemade explosives. Homemade explosives lacking an ATF registration are generally a federal felony.

"Sasquatch" and "ICE" spoke exclusively to News2Share to provide a thorough timeline of the events that led up to "Duke" being removed from their organization.

2) ICE and Sasquatch say that upon reaching out to the Kekoas in 2022, Duke identified himself as working for the CIA, but was allowed to remain a prospective member rather than being ejected because they believed he may have advanced knowledge of world-altering events.
3) Within two weeks of joining, the pair say Duke asked about a "group fund." They say no fund exists and members pay their own way, but such a fund could "fall under certain federal laws" like RICO.

ICE says Duke also asked about forming his own chapter and was denied.
Read 54 tweets
Mar 23
Here at Lancaster Public Library in Pennsylvania, both supporters and protesters had permits and planned to gather over a Drag Story Time.

The event, slated to start at 1pm, has now been cancelled after a “suspicious package” was reportedly found.
#Lancaster
Read 16 tweets
Feb 27
VIDEO THREAD: Bodycamera footage has been released showing a Chicago Police Officer last month blindly firing his gun toward a child who had been playing with fireworks, missing every shot.

The shooter was one of three cops responding to a faulty "ShotSpotter" alert of gunfire.
2) A Ring camera shows the child playing with a ball and fireworks.

About 15 seconds in, the fireworks ignite, followed immediately by police gunfire.

"No, it's just fireworks!" the child says about 28 seconds in.
3) A second bodycam from the January 25 incident was also released.

This officer erroneously reports "shots fired at police" but unlike his fellow officer, he does not shoot in the direction of the unarmed child.
Read 6 tweets
Feb 27
VIDEO THREAD: Pro-Palestine activists burned an Israeli Flag outside the Israeli Embassy tonight while playing the audio of U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell's self-immolation here from just one day ago.

"This is in solidarity with Aaron, who burned his body. At the very least, we can burn the Zionist flag," one said.

"If we burn, you burn with us!" the group chanted.

"Quit your jobs!" they chanted at police guarding the building.
2) "You killed that man!" an activist yelled at Secret Service guarding the Israeli Embassy. "You pulled your guns out instead of a fire extinguisher!"

Ashes from U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell's self-immolation remained on the sidewalk beside the officers' feet.
3) "In a selfless and devastating act of immolation, this service member laid down their life to spotlight the struggles, the injustices, and the relentless pain endured by countless individuals every day in Palestine. His last, true, words were 'Free Palestine.'"
Read 10 tweets
Feb 20
VIDEO THREAD: As Julian Assange's defense team argues against his extradition from London to the United States, protesters outside the Department of Justice demanded "Free Julian Assange!" this afternoon in DC. "No extradition!"

@codepink's @medeabenjamin said "Julian Assange, the one who wanted the world community to know about the war crimes that were being committed. Julian Assange, who understood how powerful truth can be. And yet here he is, languishing in prison. Here he is, potentially, very soon to be extradited to the United States."

"We know he has done nothing wrong. On the contrary, if anything, he should be awarded for having told the truth."
2) Esther Iverem @SeeingBlack also spoke at the @AssangeActionDC rally outside DOJ, tying the prosecution of Assange to the current conflict in Gaza.

"We know that Wikileaks told us more than a decade ago about Israel's intentional genocide of the Palestinian people."
@SeeingBlack @AssangeActionDC 3) "Drop the charges, we shall not be moved!" sang singer, political activist, and community organizer Luci Murphy. "Free Assange, we shall not be moved!"

The audience sang along: "Just like a tree that's planted by the water, we shall not be moved."
Read 8 tweets

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