Thread by @TobinBen, THREAD: Several opposing militias are expected to hold demonstrations in downtown Louisville [...]

THREAD: Several opposing militias are expected to hold demonstrations in downtown Louisville today, as police have blocked off some roads and will increase its presence downtown to promote safety.

The @courierjournal will be covering today's events. (1/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/07/25/louisville-protests-nfac-three-percenters-expected-demonstrate/3288198001/

The NFAC, which is a Black militia that stands for "Not F**king Around Coalition," said it is coming to demand justice for Breonna Taylor.

To rewind a bit, the NFAC (Not F**king Around Coalition), a Black militia, was the first group that planned announced its plans to come to Louisville. The group's leader, The Real Grandmaster Jay, said the group is demanding #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor. (2/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/07/21/breonna-taylor-protests-nfac-plans-hold-armed-march-louisville/5477815002/

"Understand the seriousness of this situation," the group's leader said. "Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home. ... We gotta go in on this one."

The NFAC first made a splash on July 4 in Stone Mountain, Georgia, when 1,000 members held an armed march at the site of a Confederate memorial.

Per the @ajc, authorities said the event was peaceful, but did cause a stir on social media. (3/?) https://www.ajc.com/news/local/scores-armed-african-americans-march-stone-mountain-hold-rally/gVmfbaBBDf6p1Q1kP2w20I/

Scores of African Americans, many armed with military-style assault weapons and other firearms, marched on Stone Mountain Memorial Park on July 4

On a call with city leaders last week, the Real Grand Master Jay, the NFAC leader, demanded that he speak with @kyoag Daniel Cameron about the Breonna Taylor investigation.

He got that call on Monday — Cameron's spokeswoman called it "productive." (4/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/07/21/kentucky-ag-daniel-cameron-holds-meeting-black-militia-leader/5481953002/

Protesters have taken to the streets of Louisville for 55 days to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman fatally shot on March 13.

In response to the NFAC's planned demonstration, the Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, announced it will have "boots on the ground" in Louisville on Saturday

One of the leaders: "I've got some hard-headed motherf***ers coming with me." (5/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/07/23/three-percenters-plan-response-nfac-march-louisville/5491690002/

A far-right militia group is calling for members to come to Louisville on Saturday in response to a planned armed march by the NFAC, a Black militia.

The Three Percents says that it is a "national organization made up of patriotic citizens who love their country, their freedoms, and their liberty."

In May, the local group's effigy hung @GovAndyBeshear in effigy in front of his home in Frankfort. (6/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/24/second-amendment-supporters-protest-covid-19-restrictions-capitol/5250571002/

Memorial Day weekend had two rallies in Frankfort. Saturday's was all about protesting the coronavirus shutdown.

It appears that one of the groups, the Wild Card III%, has already arrived in downtown Louisville and is currently prepping its guns in a garage. (7/?) https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1287005200193126401

https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1287005200193126401

As an aside, state Rep. @SavannahLMaddox received a lot of criticism after posing for a photo in May with the person speaking in the above tweet, Tara Brandau.

In the photo, Brandau flashed a hand signal associated with white supremacist groups. (8/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2020/05/03/kentucky-sate-rep-criticized-photo-including-racist-hand-sign/3074711001/

Kentucky state Rep. Savannah Maddox has drawn criticism from a member of her own party for a photo with a woman flashing a racist hand signal.

With potentially several armed militias that have opposing ideologies coming to Louisville, there is a heightened potential for violence on Saturday, extremism expert @jjmacnab told @WFPLNews.

"I am deathly afraid of a street war,” she said. (9/?) https://wfpl.org/opposing-militia-groups-plan-demonstrations-in-louisville-saturday/

Antigovernment militia groups have called for "boots on the ground" to defend against a Black militia march planned for Saturday.

The Louisville Metro Police Department announced on Thursday that it is stepping up its presence downtown and will have barricades to separate groups to keep everyone safe.

The department has also closed several roads to vehicular traffic. (10/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/07/23/road-closures-planned-saturday-militias-gather-louisville/3288201001/

"LMPD remains committed to peaceful expression of views under the First Amendment," said spokeswoman Jessie Halladay in a statement.

That takes us to today. As mentioned, a III%er group appears to be downtown, and the NFAC said they will meet at 12 p.m.

. @chris_kenning, @HayesGardner and @phillipmbailey will be on the ground to cover today's demonstrations — make sure to follow. (11/?) https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2020/07/24/breonna-taylor-protests-louisville-nfac-three-percenters-could-raise-volatility/5502059002/

An expert on extremism says the expected arrival of a Black militia and Three Percenter groups in Louisville on Saturday "could be problematic."

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