Saturday, Aug. 15., 2020, Stone Mountain — Armed white supremacist militia users confronted leftist counter-protesters in downtown Stone Mountain.
Credit score: Chris Joyner
Credit: Chris Joyner
Equally sides are seriously armed and are really near to a person one more. Smaller groups are periodically partaking in a confront-to-confront shouting matches, surrounded by members of the press.
Two counterprotesters have snatched a Accomplice flag from a militia member and established it on fireplace.
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, Stone Mountain –Counter-protesters burn a Confederate flag that was taken from a militia team member in Stone Mountain.
Credit score: Chris Joyner
Credit: Chris Joyner
9 a.m. UPDATE
Closely armed militia customers from the Ga Security Force III%, led by Chris Hill, have gathered in Stone Mountain, about a block from a group of counter-protesters. Some counter-protesters are also carrying assault-model weapons.
From his position behind the barricade, Hill began recording video clip.
“They will try their ideal to characterize us as white supremacists,” he mentioned. Hill claimed his group was there to defend the Structure from radical leftists. He also railed versus red flag laws and repeated the president’s worries over mail-in ballots.
Some law enforcement are relocating from the park to the town of Stone Mountain.
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, Stone Mountain — Militia members from the Ga Protection Force III% assemble in Stone Mountain Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020
Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, Stone Mountain — Many much-ideal teams, which include militias and white supremacists, rally at Stone Mountain, and a wide coalition of leftist anti-racist teams are arranging a counter-demonstration.
Credit: Chris Joyner
Credit score: Chris Joyner
8: 30 a.m. UPDATE
Our journalists are at the park. The gates are shut and legislation enforcement officers from the Georgia National Guard, Georgia State Patrol and town of Stone Mountain are gathered at the town entrance to the park. A few protesters hoping to problem any of the armed militias are also accumulating downtown.
8/15/20 – Stone Mountain, GA – A hefty law enforcement existence is on hand as quite a few significantly-proper groups, which includes militias and white supremacists, were organizing to rally Saturday at Stone Mountain, and a broad coalition of leftist anti-racist groups are arranging a counter-demonstration. Regional authorities, who have been intently checking on the web chatter about the rally, are bracing for attainable conflict. Alyssa Pointer / [email protected]
Credit: Alyssa Pointer
Credit score: Alyssa Pointer
8/15/20 – Stone Mountain, GA – A weighty law enforcement presence is on hand as several significantly-proper groups, which includes militias and white supremacists, were preparing to rally Saturday at Stone Mountain, and a broad coalition of leftist anti-racist teams are arranging a counter-demonstration. Neighborhood authorities, who have been carefully checking on-line chatter about the rally, are bracing for attainable conflict. Alyssa Pointer / [email protected]
Credit: Alyssa Pointer
Credit: Alyssa Pointer
Counter demonstrators started exhibiting up in downtown Stone Mountain all over 8:30.
Zach Benton of Atlanta took up a place on Major Road with a handwritten signal. He claimed he listened to about the counter demonstration on Twitter and determined to be a section of it to demonstrate that racism doesn’t have a put in the town.
”It’s to present they really don’t have electrical power here. I want them to know they are not welcome any longer,” he claimed.
The rally organizers, lots of of whom appear from the militia movement, dispute they are racists. Some say they want to shield their heritage. But other people involved in the scheduling are longtime white supremacist activists and the rally was advertised and encouraged on infamous racist World wide web discussion boards.
Atlanta activist Zach Benton holds a sign in downtown Stone Mountain Saturday, Could 15, 2020.
Credit score: Chris Joyner
Credit score: Chris Joyner
8 A.M. Original Put up:
Several significantly-right groups, including militias and white supremacists, are organizing to rally Saturday at Stone Mountain, and a broad coalition of leftist anti-racist teams are arranging a counter-demonstration. Local authorities, who have been intently monitoring on the internet chatter about the rally, are bracing for attainable conflict.
On Friday evening, park officials declared the web site will near its gates Saturday somewhat than allow for a confrontation. The metropolis of Stone Mountain, in the meantime, has urged folks to remain away from downtown, and suspended MARTA bus support inside city restrictions.
The rally was prepared in reaction to hundreds of members of a Black militia who turned heads July 4 as they marched with assault rifles, shotguns and other firearms, on Stone Mountain and its renowned Confederate memorial.
This is the 2nd time the park has closed ahead of a planned political demonstration. The park closed last calendar year on the Saturday just before Atlanta hosted Super Bowl LIII to head off demonstrations all over a planned white supremacist rally.
Return here on AJC.com for live updates from Stone Mountain afterwards this morning.Return to AJC.com for updates.
