This Saturday I was assaulted by a man named John Fournace in University Park Texas, while I was reporting on a "Protect Texas Kids" protest. I've since learned Fournace has a criminal history of assault with a weapon, vandalism, and disrupting a school board meeting.
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Prior to being assaulted, I was singled out by the organizer of the protest, Kelly Neidert, along with her antisemitic supporter, Ali Jamal, who called me an antisemitic slur. Shortly after, I was attacked by Fournace, who has attended several of Neidert's protests.
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Fournace has previously threatened me threatened me, as well as someone he mistook for me, with violence.
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https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1571209468276359170?t=to56Lcc3gQbeW8EQx0u1lQ&s=19
Fournace's wife, Lizeth Pineda, also has attended a number of Protect Texas Kids protests. She followed me at the park I was at until her husband assaulted me. Right before it happened, she looked at me and then nodded at him.
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After the assault, I wanted to file a complaint. The first cop I spoke with downplayed my concerns, claimed what happened wasn't assault, and suggested I may have instigated it. They didn't take any info from Fournace while he was there. I had to follow up with a supervisor.
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While I walked away without being seriously harmed, I'm deeply disappointed that a man like Fournace is being allowed to threaten and assault people across the Dallas area with little to no accountability. Here's a photo of him from Roanoke, Texas.
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Unfortunately, police haven't taken serious steps to stop or follow up on violence by people like Fournace or Proud Boys at multiple Protect Texas Kids events. No citations, no arrests and no consequences, so now they are emboldened enough to attack journalists like me.
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Not doing my job is an option I refuse to consider. Practicing self defense in the face of an assault like this would have likely resulted in me getting arrested, not the aggressor. Private security is expensive. So what are journalists to do? @RethinkIntel
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In order to be safe while reporting going forward I need to buy a few new things — including a body camera so I can keep my hands free while still recording.
Consider supporting my work via Patreon, or one of the links here.
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linktr.ee/Stevanzetti
Consider supporting my work via Patreon, or one of the links here.
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linktr.ee/Stevanzetti
With your help, I can stay safe at events while doing my job. But unfortunately, as I mentioned above, Fournace has also threatened and harassed a man who he thought was me. He's a danger to the community until the authorities hold him accountable.
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https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1578952150243508225?t=KM4RfV8qV-WgDij7dycJAQ&s=19
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