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I was close to the fire. I could smell it and see it.
So I& #39;m telling you all for a fact I HEARD the flash bombs go off & knew tear gas had been used BEFORE the fire started. This was a peaceful protest.
The fire did not start until AFTER the flash bombs and tear gas.
So I& #39;m telling you all for a fact I HEARD the flash bombs go off & knew tear gas had been used BEFORE the fire started. This was a peaceful protest.
The fire did not start until AFTER the flash bombs and tear gas.
This was a peaceful protest.
Do not let them tell you otherwise. Don& #39;t let them use this to call Black protestors thugs.
I was there. I witnessed it. I went out to protest peacefully. We gathered peacefully. Speakers talked about coming together.
Do not let them tell you otherwise. Don& #39;t let them use this to call Black protestors thugs.
I was there. I witnessed it. I went out to protest peacefully. We gathered peacefully. Speakers talked about coming together.
Speakers begged white allies to gather & to use our privilege to do good.
I could see and smell the fire. I could also hear the flash bombs & was getting live updates from someone else near the tear gas.
I could see and smell the fire. I could also hear the flash bombs & was getting live updates from someone else near the tear gas.
I heard the flash bombs first. Soon after we learned tear gas was being used. A child got maced.
This was a peaceful protest. Speakers reminded everyone of this and that they were here to protest peacefully.
This was a peaceful protest. Speakers reminded everyone of this and that they were here to protest peacefully.
15-20 minutes later the fire started. It was after the flash bombs and tear gas. I heard them. Someone else in contact with my group witnessed the tear gas.
I& #39;m told the fire was started by some white anarchists, but don& #39;t have confirmation on that.
I& #39;m told the fire was started by some white anarchists, but don& #39;t have confirmation on that.
Multiple white supremacists were present - some had guns & at least one gun was stolen by a white supremacist from the cop cars.
I heard the flash bombs first. The tear gas started first. It was not a reaction to the fire. I SAW and SMELLED the fire when it happened.
I heard the flash bombs first. The tear gas started first. It was not a reaction to the fire. I SAW and SMELLED the fire when it happened.
The tear gas and the mace and the flash bombs were NOT a reaction to the looting or rioting that happened later. Now there is looting. Now there is rioting. But I was there.
Don& #39;t let them tell you these things wouldn& #39;t have happened if protestors were peaceful.
Don& #39;t let them tell you these things wouldn& #39;t have happened if protestors were peaceful.
It was a peaceful protest.
I am VERY easily startled. I have a sensory processing disability that means I have to wear gun range ear protection to go out into the city on a normal day. I also have a severe anxiety disorder.
I& #39;m saying this because it means I& #39;m hypervigilant.
I am VERY easily startled. I have a sensory processing disability that means I have to wear gun range ear protection to go out into the city on a normal day. I also have a severe anxiety disorder.
I& #39;m saying this because it means I& #39;m hypervigilant.
It means I& #39;m very aware all the time of anything that can possibly harm me.
It means sudden loud noises startle me. I was even afraid of the toilet flush as a kid.
It means I can have anxiety attacks with VERY little reason.
It was a peaceful protest.
It means sudden loud noises startle me. I was even afraid of the toilet flush as a kid.
It means I can have anxiety attacks with VERY little reason.
It was a peaceful protest.
I did not feel anxious in that crowd until I heard the flash bombs. I did not feel like it wasn& #39;t safe until the police started macing people.
The tear gas happened first.
The tear gas happened first.
I am home now. They put a 5pm curfew in affect & because of my disabilities police interaction is dangerous so I cannot get arrested. I made sure everyone who I knew was there got home safely - gave a few people rides - and then went home myself.
I wish I could have done more. I wish I had been able to go to the front lines and play a medic role for injured people.
But what I can do right now from home is tell you that I was there and I heard the flash bombs and saw the fire. The fire did not happen first.
But what I can do right now from home is tell you that I was there and I heard the flash bombs and saw the fire. The fire did not happen first.
Some people are misunderstanding.
This is not meant to condemn people who protest via property damage. I cannot condemn people who are doing whatever they can to not get murdered. People tried to protest peacefully. Things still haven& #39;t changed. Nothing was fixed.
This is not meant to condemn people who protest via property damage. I cannot condemn people who are doing whatever they can to not get murdered. People tried to protest peacefully. Things still haven& #39;t changed. Nothing was fixed.
Instead, the point is this: I& #39;m being told that police would not have used tear gas or flash bombs or mace if we had protested peacefully. But that& #39;s a lie. We were protesting peacefully. I could not have attended this at all otherwise.
I heard the flash bombs first.
I heard the flash bombs first.
Do not let them use this to claim BLM protests instigate violence.
BLM protests are a reaction to violence.
Do not let them use this to claim BLM protestors are thugs.
BLM protestors are a reaction to thugs.
BLM protests are a reaction to violence.
Do not let them use this to claim BLM protestors are thugs.
BLM protestors are a reaction to thugs.
