VIDEO THREAD: This afternoon, armed "Boogaloos" protested outside the city hall in Ann Arbor, Michigan to protest police militarization and the recent arrest of Omar Shafie, a man arrested after a more than day-long standoff with the police following a domestic dispute.
“Get your fucking guns out of here, man!"
One Ann Arbor resident confronted the group about carrying firearms.
“You are not the police,” he shouted. “They are in charge, not you. Get the fuck out of our town!”
“Take your steroid-shrunken nuts out of Ann Arbor. Fuck off!”
The police observed the rally from a distance, but did not intervene or speak to attendees. At one point a police car sped right by them without stopping.
The boogaloos joked that the cop was probably responding to a minor drug or public consumption of alcohol infraction.
The boogaloos explained the Omar Shafie standoff to onlookers.
One driver remarked that "Now you guys know how Black people feel huh?"
I asked @TimTeagan about that, who said that people of color have faced "this bullshit a lot longer than us, so no, I don't know how he feels."
Here's my full @N2Sreports video of today's armed Boogaloo protest in Ann Arbor.
As always, all footage is available for license.
Check out the full article on @N2Sreports for a more complete explanation of the #OmarShafie situation that led to this.
The story includes a lengthy statement from Shafie's girlfriend, Cylie Johnston @outofpizzarolls.
VIDEO THREAD: A coalition of activists led by Black Lives Matter organizers protested this afternoon in Lansing, MI for Anthony Hulon, a white man killed nearly a year ago in Lansing Jail.
"What's his name? Anthony Hulon!"
"No justice, no peace! Fuck 12! Murdering ass bitches!"
Lansing resident James Henson - who is forming a Black Panther Party chapter - spoke in front of the LPD HQ.
"This has been going on for so long... it been going on nonstop," he said.
"We need to do things that other people are afraid to do if we want to actually be free."
It was anticipated that "Boogaloos" would participate, but apparently "political" issues came between the two groups.
A couple dozen boogaloos came with rifles and stayed across the street from the rally.
VIDEO THREAD: Last night, riot police confronted about 50 protesters who continued marching for #BreonnaTaylor into the evening.
A Lieutenant told an activist the response was provoked by two rifle-wielding participants who told a car to turn around. I did not see that incident.
"Under Kentucky state law, this is an unlawful assembly, and we command all persons so assembled here to immediately and peacefully disperse. If you do not do so, we may dispense chemical agents, and you will be arrested," LMPD repeated as riot cops pushed the crowd back.
Most of the crowd put considerable distance between them and the officers.
Media and a handful of local UPG militia members like the one in this shot stayed on the frontline and mocked officers for the use of strobe lights etc.
VIDEO THREAD: Hundreds of activists marched Saturday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky to renew their demand for police reform and that the officers involved in the killing of #BreonnaTaylor one year ago be charged with murder.
Armed security was provided by the local "United Pharaoh's Guard" (UPG) militia who had also invited boogaloo boys to join.
The only strife I saw was toward the beginning of the march when one organizer told boogaloo @CabooseGa to move aside: "No disrespect, but y'all white!"
Activists put their hands up and chanted "hands up, don't shoot!" as they passed cops wielding rifles as they monitored the march.
I’m here in Louisville, Kentucky where activists are gathering to commemorate the life of Breonna Taylor, exactly one year after her death at the hands of police.
I’ll be covering the activism and vigils taking place throughout the day.
Armed activists including Boogaloo Boys and the local United Pharaoh’s Guard (UPG) militia are standing at the corners of what is called “Injustice Park” by local activists as security.
Boogaloo boy @MagnusPanvidya from Michigan explains to media the presence of armed “Boogaloos” at the Breonna Taylor vigil today.
They support the events, and don’t anticipate any specific threats or adversaries.