Video/Photo Thread: On Saturday, a newly branded militia group called the "National Patriotic Defense Team" - led by Tara "Hoggirl" Brandau - gathered in a Louisville Parking lot.

They say they weren't protesting, but rather on standby to "back up" law enforcement.
Participant Ryan Jacob tells me that the militia group intentionally positioned themselves away from downtown and stayed in the parking lot such that they could go "help law enforcement if they got overtaken" in the city.

No such incident occurred.
I asked one of them how they'd use their anti-material Barrett .50 cal at a street protest.

He says it can break through steal plates, and that a "BLM Militia" wears armor plates.

He clarified that he was not talking about the NFAC.
Speaking of the NFAC, Saturday was four weeks to the day from when NFAC (a Black militia) promised to come back and "burn the motherfucker down" in four weeks.

They had since adjusted their plans to come on Kentucky Derby Day, Sept 5, instead. https://twitter.com/FordFischer/status/1287183735700455426
The militia blocked off the entrance to the public parking lot so nobody else could park.

A community member showed up and argued that the group was "intimidating" and "you can't block off a parking lot either."
The lot was about a quarter full, and the militia members did indeed each pay the $3 parking fee.
At first, a single officer arrived. He was friendly with the militia but asked Brandau, "Are you really blocking the lot though?"

The militia argued that they were "not looking for trouble" and so they wanted the space blocked off.
The officer spoke to media for a bit, clarifying that "we haven't asked anybody to help us" referring the militia's goal of "backing up" cops.

One armed community member accused the militia of "brandishing" and making "terroristic threats" but the officer pushed back on that.
As the officer tried to convince the militia to stop blocking the lot, a livestreamer (with a holstered handgun) got pushed a bit, but laughed it off.

He mocked their choice to wear camo in an urban setting.
Another livestreamer argued with militia participant Ryan Jacob, asking what they were doing there.

I encourage you to watch the clip to get the full dialogue, but ultimately he offered, "We're securing the parking lot! These are our vehicles man."
Ultimately the militia moved the car they had been using to block the lot.

"They can come in here, unfortunately," the police officer told the militia. "It's a public lot."
"You're disrespecting the Lord," alleged a woman talking to the militia. "I am a Christian woman."

Then, militia members confronted a man on a bike in the lot who they apparently thought was photographing the cars.

The same woman backed him up, and police tried to calm it down.
One man argued that the militia doesn't need guns because "my hands work, I don't need to take your life to beat you the fuck up."

He suggested betting $1000 on a fistfight, and the militia guy asked, "Do I need to have your ass locked up because you threatened me?"
As it began to rain, the group packed up. I asked if the event was a success, and Tara "Hoggirl" Brandau said yes, because "everything remained peaceful."

She said "other groups that were threatening never showed."
Ultimately, they went to a second, more out-of-the-way parking lot where they had pizza and listened to a police radio.

Their intention was to go "assist law enforcement" if any incidents occurred in the city, but that didn't happen.
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