BOSTON, MA – It’s a scene that will most likely be replayed over and over again in cities across our nation leading up to the presidential election and probably beyond if Trump wins re-election.
Antifa members and left-wing radicals huddled around flames from burning debris, the smell of burning American flags, and chants of profanity about President Trump and police officers.
Once again, our officers who protect us by enforcing law and order were placed right n the middle of it all.
HAPPENING NOW: Dueling rallies at Copley Square. It turned a bit hostile. Dozens of Boston Police officers on the ground controlling the crowds. #WBZ pic.twitter.com/4cVJSfUyMa
— Tiffany Chan (@TiffanyChanWBZ) October 18, 2020
This time the scene was in Boston’s Copley Square last Sunday as a group of Trump supporters held a peaceful protest against “democratic violence.”
But when anti-Trump protestors arrived, outnumbering peaceful protestors 3-to-1, the situation turned violent. Boston Police along with Massachusetts State Police used metal barricades to keep the counter protestors away from peaceful protestors.
Officers had the tough task of controlling around 1,000 people involved in the protests. News reports say that the leftist group attacked police officers leading to a skirmish, which resulted in the arrest of two anti-Trump protestors.
Event organizer Samson Racioppi of the group Super Happy Fun America said:
“This is a peaceful protest against Democratic violence, and they’re proving our point. The violence is across the street.”
One Boston reporter, referring to the confrontation, said:
“This is getting intense, opposing protests in Boston. One group is pulling barriers away from the group supporting Trump.”
A few protesters setting fire to signs & flags for Donald Trump in Copley Square @boston25 #Boston pic.twitter.com/9SX3WPMxhU
— Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) October 18, 2020
Andy Ngo, a writer who has followed Antifa and written a book about the group’s radical plan to destroy democracy, reported that Antifa members and left-wing protesters burned a Trump flag and one person poured fake blood on himself in an occult-like ceremony while shouting “F” Donald Trump.
That wasn’t the only hate chant. While officers pushed back violent protestors, several of them shouted “the whole world is watching” and other obscenities toward police officers.
A counter protester, Stan Lawrence of the group Refuse Fascism that wants to abolish police, said:
“The Trump/Pence regime is a fascist regime that needs to be driven from power.”
A pro-Trump protestor said:
“We’re here to have a peaceful protest and as you can see the Democrats are here in force to cause violence and prevent our free speech.”
Pro-Trump demonstrators and anti-Trump demonstrators hold events across the street from one another at Copley Square. Police contained a couple violent outbursts pic.twitter.com/AvuQP0jsWy
— Brandon Gunnoe (@Brandon_Gunnoe) October 18, 2020
As the protests escalated, pro-Trump protestors had to be escorted to safety away from the opposing group.
The situation in Boston is just one of many we have seen through the summer and will see in the weeks ahead. It represents how many Americans feel in these tense times, standing more divided than ever.
The Boston Police Department, like many other police departments in big cities, is preparing for more protests and violence before and after the election.
There was a large contingent of officers present at the protest in Boston, but with the possibility of multiple protests breaking out, police departments will be under more stress to maintain law and order.
Boston Police department personnel are preparing right now for similar protests to come.
Boston police trying to keep opposing protests separated in Copley Square. One group is starting to wrap up their protest, but it’s unclear how they’ll leave the area without clashing with their counter protesters @boston25 pic.twitter.com/b396LXpnz7
— Litsa Pappas (@LitsaPappas) October 18, 2020
While officers prepare for the potential of more protests and violence, a Boston Police Reform Task Force is working on new polices for the department. The task force has three goals: advance racial equality, increase accountability, and building community trust.
Calls for reform moved beyond just talk this year as cities and states began taking more consequential action. Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh convened the task force to examine key policy areas and to deliver recommendations to address those areas.
Task force members say building community trust in the BPD begins with fostering positive interactions amongst officer and community members, promoting de-escalation and improving communication.
Counter protesters set fire to an effigy of US President Donald Trump during a gathering of the far right group ‘Super Fun Happy America’ as they hold a protest in Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts on October 18, 2020.
Joseph Prezioso / AFP pic.twitter.com/SEa7rGh2HQ— Joseph Prezioso (@preziosonews) October 19, 2020
It is the hope of the task force that this work will provide and ongoing platform for conversation, assessment and development of what police agencies should be doing to dynamically effect the change that the public.
The recommendations are not the end or a blueprint for guaranteed success, but rather the next step in a never-ending process of evaluation and change.
The task force concluded that the BPD prides itself on being the “First in the Nation,” but to maintain this status, the BPD must always be ready to embrace change and comfort challenges that inevitably occur in our society to carry out their mission to serve and protect.
By: Damian Veazey
October 19, 2020
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – During a free speech rally that was held on October 17th in San Francisco, where one of the organizers happened to have had his tooth knocked out by a leftist counter-protester, there was also an older gentleman that was assaulted by the radical leftists there as well.
This is the Radical Left. https://t.co/CpdQwIZojW
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 19, 2020
Philip Andrews was the man that helped organize the Free Speech Rally and Protest and was also the man who was assaulted on video where a left-wing counter protester punched him several times and knocked out his front tooth.
The event was hosted by Andrews’ group called Team Save America, and after having been the victim of an assault captured on video – both Instagram and Twitter have suspended his online accounts.
They just removed him from twitter also… pic.twitter.com/YSF0a0Kqqw
— kevinlawrencem (@kevinlawrencem) October 19, 2020
While the reason for the suspensions are unclear, many online are flabbergasted that someone speaking out about being attacked somehow gets the ban-hammer online.
But another video linked to the event shows the radical leftists surrounding two older individuals that were trying to make their way into the event. You can see one man had been knocked down to the ground while another person is trying to help him up.
Whatever happened to being able to walk anywhere you wanted to?
These 💩’s don’t own a street!! Why are they being allowed to act like they do?
Enough is enough already!! 😡— Wish I Knew Then… (@WishIKnew11) October 18, 2020
The dichotomy of discourse online is a hodge-podge of people outraged that someone could be assaulted for simply trying to attend a free speech rally while others online are championing this assault because they’ve convinced themselves that those assaulted are “fascists”.
Twitter screenshot from Sonny Phono, a local event host and planner based out of San Francisco
One person’s commentary on the violence perpetrated by the radical leftists that aimed to disrupt the event wrote on Twitter:
“That’s what they get…Fascists get socked in the mouth wasn’t the video explanatory?”
This is exactly the sort of hazardous rhetoric spread and preached by radical leftists that make them so dangerous – it’s because they genuinely believe that they’re trying to fight some sort of unspeakable evil.
Counter protesters at the Free Speech America Rally at Civic Center. pic.twitter.com/clmPqlKWXk
— Mallory Moench (@mallorymoench) October 17, 2020
Just taking a look at the signage that these radicals carry with them, such as banners noting to “smash fascism”, it’s obvious that these dangerous groups are completely convinced that a mere free speech rally is some form of fascism.
Keep in mind, the definition of fascism relates to either a “political philosophy, movement, or regime” where there’s a desire to promote or uphold a dictatorship that imposes “severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition”.
Imagine using violence to stop a free speech rally and then holding up signage that talks about smashing “fascism”. I mean, they have to see the irony right? Or are they that dumb/brainwashed?
— Greg Hoyt (@GregHoytLET) October 19, 2020
And the only way to accomplish forcible suppression of opposition is through the threatening of or employment of violence.
This is not only peak-irony, but also why this “idea” known as Antifa is so utterly dangerous.
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