Thread by @angelaneedsleep

I was almost #attacked tonight. I was walking w/my friend back to her home tonight. We had encountered a young woman intoxicated &were trying to get her to the YWCA. 3 men ran out and up a small hill around the #library They had masks covering their faces and hoodies over hair

I watched them get closer as my friend stayed with this young intoxicated girl. Every step, they became faster. As they started literally charging across #stafforddrive I turned, faced them and yelled at them to #stop My friend was on the phone w/help & I kept #yelling

They retreated into the bus shelter outside the library. We Beelined to the YWCA
You know why they stopped? I looked one of them right in the eyes and I saw the small amount of skin visible. This man is #Caucasian & I don’t think they were expecting me or my friend to be #white

Our hair is black, we are in big sweaters. I don’t know what these three men had planned to do but I know 100% they were white. The young girl we were trying to get to the #ywca started panicking and saying ‘white guerrillas’

I’ve heard about the #whiteguerrillas through social media. Racism, women being attacked, things being #torched and other injustice happens. I am simply #privileged enough not to have it directed at me, I acknowledge this.

I live in #downtownlethbridge I see what happens out there, I watch it from my windows (like a privileged woman). Far removed and safe, locked in my building and apartment. Tonight I felt what it’s like when you don’t have this privilege, that so many take for granted or #deny

#yql city councillors & mayor need to start addressing our ongoing homeless crisis downtown. There are no beds, there isn’t the #mentalhealth supports there should be, @lethpolice have faced cuts just like healthcare to do more with less. Who protects the unseen, the unheard 💔

These men were white. My white skin (and mouth?) stopped them from charging us further and I’m home safely tweeting about it simply because I am white. I believe this wholeheartedly #racism in #yql is real. The girl told us that the #whiteguerrilas patrol areas all over #yql

That they try to ‘keep the people out of the park’ meaning #galtgardens She said that people are beaten, belongings lit on fire, stolen & woman are raped/beaten
I don’t know with any fact what is truly going on in #yql

But I know what I witnessed. I know what I felt. That young girls fear was palpable when she realized the men charging us were white. #ViolenceAgainstWomen #violenceagainstaboriginals #Lethbridge has a #homelesscrisis #drugcrisis & we also have a #racismproblem

To clarify, I should be able to walk a friend home. I should be able to be safe walking in my own neighbourhood at 1030 pm on a Friday. Authorities are aware. Dont #mansplain a god damn thing to me if that’s why you’re here. None of what happened is ok @LethbridgeCity /end

@SPhillipsAB @Alberta_UCP @albertaNDP @RaceEquityNDP @rcmpgrcpolice @lethpolice @LethbridgeCity @LethbridgePSCC I should be safe in my city. I should have safe adequate parking in front of my building at all times. None of this is ok and it could have been 100x worse

**UPDATE**