ROCHESTER, NY – Outside of the blatant destruction caused by the likes of Black Lives Matter and Antifa in Rochester, there’s also a degree of absurdity in the manner in which the two groups operate.
In the groups’ efforts to protest and riots over perceived racial injustices – black participants were recently caught on camera telling those who were white to get in front of the ranks to create a human shield.
White shields
City Hall – Rochester, NY pic.twitter.com/Zfcp21W8GI— Kitty Shackleford (@KittyLists) September 6, 2020
It was a frankly bizarre display outside the front of City Hall in Rochester on September 5th.
A woman with a megaphone can be heard delivering orders for anyone who is white that totes a shield needs to form a line in front of the protesters/rioters:
“If you’re white and you got a shield, you need to be making a perimeter from whatever this street is to whatever that street is. If you are black, stay in the middle.”
Someone else can be heard then screaming:
“White shields! White shields make a circle!”
This is likely due to the misconception that if there is a group of white people staged in front of black protesters then they’ll be less likely to be met with police force if those behind the barrier engage in rioting.
It’s rather dumbfounding logic that, if anyone present had been paying attention over the last several months, isn’t true.
And furthermore, the effort didn’t work that evening either since police were caught on video advancing against the rioters and deploying what appeared to be tear gas canisters.
Fire, fire, terrorizer – sane people used to live here #Rochester pic.twitter.com/PO2hNAwYpF
— Kitty Shackleford (@KittyLists) September 6, 2020
Yet opposition from local authorities didn’t stop these rioters, as the miscreants present were captured on camera that evening shooting fireworks toward police lines and standing atop vehicles as though they had conquered some foreign land.
Rochester, NY a little bit ago pic.twitter.com/sz5jgSyMju
— Kitty Shackleford (@KittyLists) September 6, 2020
This riot in particular ran from the evening of the 5th and carried on until the early morning hours of the 6th. And without fail, damage was done by those carrying the banners and chanting the normal chants of Black Lives Matter.
Of those who had their businesses attacked was a local black business owner who had his U-Haul trucks set on fire.
What’s all the more curious in this crime is that posted outside the man’s business was a sign that reads “Proud to be black owned.”
Three U-Haul trucks destroyed at J-Ribs on State Street.
Owner Jesse Barksdale says he was bounced out of bed to respond.
Livid over the destruction of his business. pic.twitter.com/7FKPtD6mmS— Charles Molineaux (@WHEC_cmolineaux) September 6, 2020
Jesse Barksdale is the owner of J-Ribs, which carried a U-Haul service. He’s reportedly “livid” at the arson committed against his business.
Video footage from the riot showcases one the trucks on fire and reportedly a total of three were destroyed from the fire spreading.
Mostly peaceful protests.#JesseBarksdale‘s black owned business don’t matter. pic.twitter.com/OiETivQ5qr
— The Gray American (@grayAmerican1) September 7, 2020
On July 22nd, Barksdale was actually featured in a piece written by the Democrat & Chronicle that showcased his unique business model of serving up ribs and U-Haul services in one spot.
BBQ and U-Haul? They’re on the menu at this downtown Rochester spot https://t.co/4vZqGBXzJ7 #ROC
— Democrat & Chronicle (@DandC) July 22, 2020
According to the article on Barksdale, he ascended from a rough upbringing to being a business owner:
“Jesse grew up in a high-poverty area in northeast Rochester. His aunt raised Jesse and his twin brother, Jerome… His mother died, and his father was not in his life. In 2013, his older brother, Robert, was found hanging in a Monroe County Jail cell and died.”
While having created a unique business model of BBQ and U-Haul rentals, Barksdale was having a tough time due to the pandemic. When COVID began impacting his bottom line in March, he was distraught:
“This can’t be happening to me. It’s one thing if you know what you did to drive your customers away.”
But now, he lost three of his trucks due to the rioters.
According to Barksdale, at least one person has been arrested in connection with the arson.
He says police ended up arresting a white man from out of town found in the area, who they believe was connected to the fires. @SPECNewsROC
— Andrew Freeman (@AFreemanNews) September 7, 2020
During the riot that took place, there were an estimated 1,500 people present in Rochester. Reports of fireworks shot at officers and rocks being thrown were also among the obvious arson that took place.
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