My hometown, Louisville, Kentucky, was mentioned in an APR comment this morning as being a “hot spot” for protester/police confrontations. The BLM movement and the death of George Floyd are the primary drivers of the protests nationwide. However, we have a local atrocity in the March 13th, murder of Breonna Taylor at the hands of 3 LMPD officers on our plate.
I did some cursory checking of local news and this is what I found. It is in no way a complete and thoroughly research account.
Before the weekend began, there was fear mongering aplenty. The primary driver of that fear was an announced rally of the Georgia-based NFAC (Not F*cking Around Coalition.) NFAC is an armed group of black activists that were anticipating about 80 individual showing up in Louisville.
Both my 32 year old daughter and my 65 years SO, normally somewhat sane individuals, were almost beside themselves with fear of the approaching weekend. I was finally able to convince them that since we lived 7 and 12 miles from downtown respectively; it would take thousands of para-military types to bring random death and destruction to our neighborhoods.
NFAC had been very thorough in their preparation. They contacted the Mayor, head of the Metro Council, Chief of Police and Kentucky Attorney General, Daniel Cameron who is supposedly formally investigating the murder of Ms. Taylor. They passed on to the authorities their plan which was to gather at Baxter Park, about 12 blocks west of downtown, and have a peaceful march to Jefferson Park for a rally which is surrounded by Metro/county government buildings downtown. The Metro government made the necessary accommodations for the group’s assembly, march and rally.
So, how did the weekend pan out so far?
Friday night LMPD arrested 76 individuals, not members of the NFAC as far as I know, who were peaceably blocking Market Street. Market Street is a main thoroughfare through NULU (New Louisville district-think hipster central) and is East of Downtown; the opposite direction from the area the NFAC had proposed their gathering. I have read no account of protest violence and/or excessive use of force on the part of the LMD in these arrests
Saturday morning and the gathering of NFAC brought the most serious situation of the weekend. I have often expressed on DK my disdain for grown men who play para-military games in worship of their “penis extenders.” It applies regardless of the skin color of the Cosplayers.
Once of the NFAC’s extenders was accidentally discharged in the crowd at Baxter Park. Three people were injured and taken the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. No arrest was made although the rifle was confiscated.
After that insanity, the NFAC carried out their march and rally without further incident.
LMPD arrested 11 individuals, again not NFAC, Saturday night for breaking into and entering into the Metro’s new soccer stadium, blocking and driving the wrong direction on roads near the Ohio River again all East of downtown. Both Friday and Saturday night there were random reports of objects being thrown at LMPD officers and cars.
As I expected and as best as I can tell from the accounts there was no intense or widespread protest violence or police response. Here is a link to local TV coverage.
www.whas11.com/...
Crimes committed ? Yes.
Widespread violence and rioting? No.
Main stream and social media hype and fear mongering does work and spreads quickly. The almost “Non stories” coming out of the weekend as opposed to those of rioting, looting, arson and attacks on and/or by police get little ink.