Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #Louisvilleprotests

THREAD: Today hundreds of armed right-wing and pro-Trump militia activists marched through #Louisville to City Hall, where they were confronted by antifascist activists (some armed) in their path.

There was initially no violence as they walked by their counter-protesters.

As the right argued with the left outside the courthouse, it sometimes escalated into violence. It was relatively mild (pushing, etc) but at least two people unholstered handguns.

"Breonna Taylor!" chanted counter-protesters.

"Kyle Rittenhouse!" chanted a militia supporter wearing a viking helmet.

#LouisvilleProtests

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At the post-#KentuckyDerby press conference, @StephRWolf asked trainer Bob Baffert/jockey John Velasquez about their thoughts on the protests happening outside Churchill Downs today. (1/)

@StephRWolf Bob Baffert: "America is so much stronger when we're united... I want to see the old America back." #Louisvilleprotests #KentuckyDerby (2/)

@StephRWolf John Velasquez: "If we have equality for everybody, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now... When things are going wrong or somebody makes a mistake by the law and everything, you need to be held accountable." #Louisvilleprotests #KentuckyDerby (3/3)

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I am a journalist, verified on Facebook. Today I spent the entire day covering various armed groups throughout Louisville.

As I just finished a livestream, I tried to log in and it appears @Facebook deleted my account.

I just attempted to submit this appeal with my driver’s license.

Again, I am a JOURNALIST who Facebook completely inexplicably just deleted as I covered protests in Lousiville, Kentucky.

I use the @BoxCast app to livestream to both Twitter and Facebook.

I didn’t receive any email or notification from Facebook; my account literally just outright vanished.

Boxcast seems to have sent this automatically when it happened.

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THREAD: This afternoon, 64 protesters in Louisville, Kentucky were arrested after while marching throughout the city against police violence and demanding the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor be arrested.

All footage in thread by me for @N2Sreports.

#LouisvilleProtests

The protesters - led by @lsarsour and @TamikaDMallory with @untilfreedom as well as local organizers - began with a sit-in outside Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby will take place in two weeks.

Police lined up in a formation.

Protesters continued marching, and police threatened to arrest them if they didn't leave the road. The group went on the sidewalk, marched around the officers, and then continued on.

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Kentucky Freedom Coalition 🔔

Today about 500 armed activists with the all-black "Not Fucking Around Coalition" aka "NFAC" gathered to march in #Louisville for #BreonnaTaylor.

As they were getting ready, one member accidentally fired a shot, injuring three. This was captured in my livestream.

After the shooting, the #NFAC formed a perimeter around the scene at Baxter Park. They allowed police and EMS in to tend to the three wounded, who were taken away in stretchers. I've seen it reported that the injuries are "not life threatening."

Police recovered the firearm that apparently was accidentally discharged. I don't believe the individual was arrested.

It looks like a Henry-style lever action rifle or shotgun, but I'm not 100% sure of the model.

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@KentuckyFreedom

30 min from now #NFAC will march in Louiville for #BreonnaTaylor. We broke this news last Sunday. KY media caught up mid-week. Media also reported #threepercenters will go, but it was based on a social media post w/ only a few “likes”. @courierjournal @TobinBen @phillipmbailey

Remember last month when media reported of a “patriot militia” was presumably coming to Louisville. Well, that never happened. google.com/amp/s/amp.cour…

So if some #threepercenters do show up, know that the @courierjournal & others who reported based on weak evidence provided credibility via advertising it. If there is an unfortunate conflict, it could reasonably be stated negligent reporting stirred the pot unnecessarily.

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Louisville I need your help. Seven people were shot in front of me on the first night of #Louisvilleprotests May 28th. Very little is known about what happened and I want Interview anyone who may have information about the shooting. Here's what I know:

https://twitter.com/RyanVanVelzer/status/1266214282406113280

The shooting happened around 11:45 p.m. on May 28, amid a standoff between protesters and police. Protesters were rocking a police prisoner transport vehicle moments before the shooting. I did not see where the shots came from, I just saw two men fall after everyone ran.

The latest from at @LMPD: "The LMPD Major Crimes Unit is conducting he investigation. There are no new developments to report in this case. We do not release the names of victims. We will update you when we have new information to provide." Here is the narrative from police

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Update my story about the more than 330 protesters arrested in Louisville: wfpl.org/more-than-330-…

The decision to dismiss cases against #Louisvilleprotests participants is in the hands of County Attorney Mike O'Connell. His office returned comment this afternoon. In an emailed statement, O’Connell reiterated the fundamental right to peacefully protest.

He said his office would review each case and decide whether to dismiss charges. Cases involving violence, weapons, property damage or issues of public safety would be viewed "in a different light," he said.

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I wrote a story about the crowd control weapons @LMPD has used amid #louisvilleprotests. I wanted to provide an update thread with answers from LMPD. Here's last week's story: wfpl.org/the-weapons-us…

.@LMPD crowd control weapons include "OC spray [pepper spray], ECW [Electronic Control Weapons], Pepperball Guns, 40 mm Aerial Bangs, 40 mm Scatter rounds, triple chaser gas rounds, hand tossed gas rounds, 40 mm marking rounds, 40 mm impact rounds...

less lethal sock rounds, stinger rubber ball grenades and long distance pepper ball guns." They also have two LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device) units. Each unit costs $8,805.

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I wrote up a piece on the weapons @LMPD is using against protesters in Louisville. Below are a few quotes from the story: #Louisvilleprotests
wfpl.org/the-weapons-us…

Dr. Ranit Mishori with Physicians for Human Rights says terms like “less than lethal” are misnomers disguising the impacts of crowd control weapons. “When you call something non-lethal you get the wrong impression they are benign... But the fact is they can cause immediate harm.”

“I feel like they’re bringing out all their toys that have been stuck in a warehouse and they are just unleashing them on us and it’s unwarranted,” said Shameka Parrish-Wright, Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression co-chair.

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Bailey Loosemore

@bloosemore

Sister Friday is taking place from noon to 8 pm in Jefferson Square - on what would have been Breonna Taylor’s 27th birthday.

Rameka Jackson, 32, says Sister Friday is to show that women support the movement against police brutality.

“We want to show ... that we are Breanna, we are her. It could have been me, it could have been any of those women over there so that's the purpose of us coming out today”

Jackson said women have been responsible for setting up donation tents, first aid stations and EMT stations through 9 days of #LouisvilleProtests.

But their work hasn’t been shown through the media.

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Mandy McLaren

@mandy_mclaren

THREAD: I filed this story last Thursday, hours before the first night of protests in Louisville. It was published on Monday, but, understandably, I doubt you saw it.

Here's one big reason why I hope you will still find time to read & share.
courier-journal.com/story/news/202…

Last night, while covering the #LouisvilleProtests, I found myself on East Broadway, under an interstate overpass.

And while I was doing my best to capture the powerful demonstration that was unfolding, I turned and locked eyes with a young man.

He wasn't there to protest.

He was just walking by.

Instantly, I was jolted by the realization: I knew him.

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In case you missed it, our staff @WFPLNews @KentuckyCIR had a flurry of stories yesterday night, including coverage of #LouisvilleProtests and deeper looks at the shooting of #DavidMcAtee. Here's some of it:

Reporter @jaredtbennett looked at the role of the National Guard in the protests, as well as in McAtee's death.

wfpl.org/residents-advo…

.@RyanVanVelzer was out covering the protests much of the night, and was also on hand to capture it when @louisvillemayor spoke with the crowd for the first time Tuesday. wfpl.org/after-6-days-m…

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It's 4pm, which means it's the new time for @GovAndyBeshear 's daily address. Today it's not only about coronavirus, but also #breonnataylor, #davidmcatee and the #louisvilleprotests. Follow along here or listen on 89.3 WFPL.

@GovAndyBeshear Beshear says he's listening to concerns about military presence. The state will reduce the National Guard presence in Louisville, on recommendation of the Adjutant General.

Beshear says he supports the release of any footage that will shed light on David McAtee's death. Says there should have been body camera footage. There's not. Michael Brown will be overseeing the ongoing investigation into McAtee's death.

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I want to share some of my impressions of what happened last night in the third day of Louisville protests as @GovAndyBeshear called in the National Guard and @louisvillemayor put in place a curfew.

I want to emphasize that I will be characterizing what I saw with the understanding that I am only one person and so much happened last night it's impossible for any one person to witness. Our night as @WFPLNews reporters ended after we were teargassed and pepper balled by police

Even before the curfew began, police fired teargas and greens smoke at Sixth and Liberty streets.

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