LOUISVILLE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2020) Hundreds of antiracism protesters and self-defined "American patriots" from predominantly white militias confronted each other in central Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, both sides wielding fire arms, but not going beyond verbal barbs and occasional fist fights in the stunning absence of the police.
The stand-off in the city, known for its bourbon whiskey and horse races, came as another stark evidence of growing polarization of the United States ahead of major political upheavals and a vacuum of power in the streets, which invites anarchy or vigilantism.
With openly displayed rifles and pistols, in bulletproof vests and helmets, a column of around 300 militiamen, who vow to defend communities from violence of protests, marched toward the downtown Jefferson Square Park. They were met there by close to a hundred of Black Lives Matter (BLM) antiracism activists who also had an impressive array of fire arms with magazines attached.
"I am not going to bring a knife to a gunfight. These gentlemen are exercising their right to carry extremely heavy arms, so I thought it was my right to carry heavy arms as well," an African American woman said. She had at least two pistols and an assault rifle with a telescopic sight.
No shots were fired as protesters and counterprotesters traded accusations and engaged in heated debates. The former chanted the name of Breonna Taylor, a young African American woman killed by policemen in Louisville. "Blue lives matter," shouted the latter in support of the law enforcement. A few times it escalated into fights, broken up swiftly by the parties themselves.
BLM activists, though outnumbered and outgunned, were visibly more aggressive, while militiamen tried not to respond to profanities shouted out into their faces and often found themselves on the defensive, seeking cover or regrouping to avoid being cut off from the rest of the group.
No police officers were dispatched to the square closed for traffic by construction trucks. "I imagine they have more urgent matters," one of the march organizers tried to explain their absence.
Police arrived later when militias were already outside the square, followed by BLM activists. Officers equipped with full riot gear and wooden batons pushed the crowd to the sidewalk and soon left the scene.
"There is no reason we were not protected today. They [militiamen] could have came in and killed everyone of us. We didn't have enough gun power," a African American girl said. "They [militiamen] are not my problem. I am a Black American and they are white Americans. They love America. On the other hand America never protected me as a Black woman and is not protecting me today."
WAVE, a local news outlet, quoted a Louisville Metro Police spokesperson as saying that "large intersecting groups peacefully interacted with each other throughout the day and LMPD [Louisville Metro Police Department] didn't have to intervene."
While BLM calls for defunding the police or their outright abolition, militias praise law enforcement officers as a line of defense against anarchy, but believe that cops need help as their hands are tied by the politicians.
"The police get their orders from the government and have been told several times to stand down. They can't show a force," a militiaman, who introduced himself as Squelch, said. "Guess what? We are not police, we are allowed to speak out, to say 'Enough is enough.'"
Many of the march participants carried banners supporting President Donald Trump and his re-election bid. Antiracism movement has become a major issue in the 2020 election campaign with the Democratic opposition seen as more sympathetic to protesters' demands while their Republican rivals, including Trump, prefer to focus on the need to counter an upsurge of violence which often tarnishes BLM, especially in the Democratic-run cities.
Hundreds of armed militiamen marching across the city may be an intimidating spectacle, but their leader, Angry Viking, claims they are a defensive organization committed to avoid using fire power unless faced with "an absolute deadly force."
"We are a defensive posture organization. We will never approach someone with aggressive tactics," he told Russian reporters. "You want to yell in my face all day? I don't care. I'm not going to shoot you because you yell or you call me a dirty name."
Before the column hit the road, militiamen were instructed "Make it look good."
"The gun ensures peace. That's what a lot of people don't understand. This is what separates you from someone who's wanting to come and do harm you," Angry Viking argues. "You should want to see more people, more patriots carrying this around instead of more militant organizations carrying it around."
In Kenosha, Wisconsin, a 17-year-old militiaman has recently shot and killed two protesters who apparently attacked him. Angry Viking had a few words of praise for the youth who now faces first degree homicide charges. "He was there defending, scrubbing walls, putting the church fire out," he told his followers. "What in the hell is going on in this country when a 17-year-old man who is putting a fire out gets violently attacked multiple times? And he is a bad guy?"
In Portland a member of a white militia was killed by a suspected radical leftist after a counterprotest rally in the city. Angry Viking himself is accompanied by bodyguards. "We've been told there's a bounty on my head," he explained.
A former marine with multiple combat tours, he became an instant celebrity earlier this year when one of his social media posts went viral. Angry Viking estimates that he has 70,000-80,000 followers, a figure that could have been much higher if Facebook had not deleted his account.
He believes that the United States faces a civil war threat and patriotic pro-activism is needed to avert it.
"We're absolutely on the cusp of a civil war not started by us... You have neighbors fighting each other. You have family fighting each other. There are families that literally don't talk to each other for political reasons," Angry Viking said.
"We can have differences of opinions. It's absolutely ok. But when you start bringing violence into it, to make your opinion heard � that's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," militiaman Squelch added. "We have tons of people in this country, in this city that are scared to death of what might happen. That's bad. People are scared here, people are tired, people are sick of not being able to live there everyday life."
Racism is another accusation that Louisville marchers reject and ridicule. "Make no mistake, folks, anyone of you here will be called a white supremacist. Where is my Black conservative preacher? There he is � white supremacist right there, folks, that Black man," Angry Viking joked. "We love you, brother," someone shouted from the crowd.
Richard Pearson is a retired Louisville policeman and one of few Black men at the gathering. "I feel just like everybody else feels. I don't feel like I am singled out or anything like that. Everybody here is here to show their patriotism, everybody here is here to be inclusive," he said.
"I think there are a lot more Black people in this community and this nation who are patriotic and conservative, who like to live in peace, safety and security, but feel oppressed because if they come forward and say those things, they automatically are categorized as a sell-out," Pearson added.
There was yet another show of vigilante force in Louisville on Saturday, a day which would have otherwise be remarkable only for the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Several hundred members of NFAC � The Not [Profanity] Around Coalition � marched around Churchill Downs racetrack demanding accountability for policemen who shot Breonna Taylor.
A purely African American paramilitary organisation presents itself as a radical alternative to the BLM movement, though so far it has never been engaged in any activities, but armed parades in various US localities and fiery rhetoric of its leader, Grand Master Jay.
