8 Arrested in White Lives Matter Protest Clash Near Texas Capitol

8 Arrested in White Lives Matter Protest Clash Near Texas Capitol

Text Eight people were arrested on Saturday when a small group of protesters calling themselves White Lives Matter were confronted by counter-demonstrators supporting Black Lives Matter at the Texas State Capitol near where Gov. Greg Abbott had earlier dedicated a monument recognizing the contribution of African-Americans to the state. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Sgt. Victor Taylor said four of the arrests were for assault, two for evading arrest, one for disorderly conduct and one for "interference with public duty." Two of those arrested were on Capitol grounds and the others on adjacent streets. "Some protesters assaulted other protesters," Taylor said. "We don't know for sure which side they were on. A lot of them were co-mingled." Austin police and state troopers dressed in riot gear and some mounted on horseback had tried to keep the two groups separated. Taylor said the confrontation did not affect the unveiling of the monument, which was in a different part of the grounds. A state helicopter circled overhead. About two dozen individuals with the White Lives Matter group, some of whom were armed, demonstrated against what they called the unequal application of hate crimes laws, which they said are applied in a way that favors minorities. The group said it was a coincidence that its protest was held at about the same time as the ceremony for the monument. White Lives Matter member and protest organizer Ken Reed said into a bullhorn that his group was concerned with "white people's preservation." "You all are anti-white and anti-American," he told the counter-protesters, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The White Lives Matter group was shouted down by several hundred counter-protesters, who held up signs that said "Stand Against Hate" and "Black Lives Matter." One of them, Marie Catrett, said she came to stand up for the rights of minorities. "I think they are full of hatred," Catrett said about the White Lives Matter group. "They don't represent our community or our values." During the unveiling ceremony, Abbott told a crowd in attendance that the monument honors African-Americans who helped grow Texas. "The fact is African Americans have shaped this land that we are on today since long before it was even named the state of Texas. They fought for their own freedom. They fought for the freedom of Texas and the freedom of the United States of America," Abbott said. The monument is located on the Capitol's south lawn, close to other monuments that honor Confederate soldiers for their service during the Civil War. The new monument features the African-American experience in Texas, from exploration in the 1500s to slavery and emancipation to achievement in arts and science. It will be the 21st monument on the Capitol grounds and the second memorial dedicated to a specific ethnic group. Texas installed the Tejano Monument to Mexican-American history in 2012.

Here we go. Although I agree with the statements this group made about things being reversed instead of solved when it comes to racism, there has to be a better way to handle things than all these protests. I have said for a long time that things like affirmative action should only be used as short term fixes. What is the difference between being denied or granted a job if it is based in your race, gender, religion, or national origin? Why are people willing to accept racism if it is to their benefit?

a reply to: brutus61

Everyone has a right to protest.

They were arrested because they were white.
That's one conclusion.

a reply to: brokenghost

In that case, I guess White lives don't matter... Like DB said, We all have the right to protest!!

This is from a fake ABC News website*.

Notice the ".go.com" part?

Dubious story from an intentionally misleading website.

*EDIT: It appears that the "go" part of the URL does not, in fact, make this a fake website. One can never be to careful, so let my mistake be a lesson.

a reply to: Kettu

I think you might be thinking of abcnewsgo.co or abcnews.com.co, which are satire.

I am pretty sure that abcnews.go.com is the real thing.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: brutus61

Everyone has a right to protest.

My point was not to say that anyone doesn't have the right to protest. I just believe that all of this protesting is going to cause a lot of harm to all American citizens no matter which side they are on. I simply and plainly said there has to be a better way to get the point across.

a reply to: brutus61

Hopefully soon justice will begin to be administered equally, regardless of race.

Our country was headed down a path where it did appear that racism was increasing - racism against whites.
This was being generated from the very top of our government.

originally posted by: brokenghost
They were arrested because they were white.
That's one conclusion.

Not sure where you read that it was whites that were arrested.

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: brutus61

Hopefully soon justice will begin to be administered equally, regardless of race.

Our country was headed down a path where it did appear that racism was increasing - racism against whites.
This was being generated from the very top of our government.

Yes with things like affirmative action. But that is racism as well.

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: Kettu

I think you might be thinking of abcnewsgo.co or abcnews.com.co, which are satire.

I am pretty sure that abcnews.go.com is the real thing.

Thank you for pointing that out

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: Kettu

I think you might be thinking of abcnewsgo.co or abcnews.com.co, which are satire.

I am pretty sure that abcnews.go.com is the real thing.

It appears that may be the case, I've edited my post to reflect that -- than you.

LET THEM PROTEST!!

IT IS AMERICAN EVEN IF THEY RIOT AND BURN DOWN BUILDINGS!

a reply to: SyxPak

There's a hidden hand that doesn't want people to think so.

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Yeah. He who dies with the most toys, wins.

I see this whole thing as just a way to divide and conquer, and Americans are falling for it.

As Donald Trump said "Stop it, stop it everyone"

My thoughts:

- i suspect aligning with the WLM guys would put you in bed with some rather unsavory folks. That said, they are right: hate crimes laws (which are stupid anyway....crime is crime) are not equally applied.

- progressivism has turned words like "hate", "racist", and "fear" into invectives that are hurled at opportunities which tend to demean the words themselves. When I hear someone throw any of the above around as an invective, its an instant prompt to ignore everything being said. People don't even use their own words anymore. They just pull out the lexicon o groupthink.

- You cannot arrest someone and have their only charge be "resisting arrrest". That is just stupid. Were they not trying to arrest you for something else, you wouldn't be resisting. I hope its the paper not getting facts straight

- This monument seems like nothing more than pandering. Its a monument to generic "achievement". Were the investment in the art beig utilized appropriately, it would have been part of a bigger statewide initiative to bring to light the achievements of black Texans throughout history. I've taken Texas History. You have to learn about the non-white/non-mexican/indian on your own. A great site for some of this: www.tbhpp.org... (i've gone over this site with my niece a few times doing projects for school)

a reply to: brutus61


I am shocked. And at that site? /sarc

With a culture that plays identity politics, 'community' activism, racialism—all of it tribalism— nothing else can be expected. We can expect an invite regression of identity groups demanding hearings on their plights.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
My thoughts:

- i suspect aligning with the WLM guys would put you in bed with some rather unsavory folks.

Correct