Whoa, dangerous stuff. People throwing stuff at this truck pic.twitter.com/9PJvK31euB
— Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) September 10, 2017
After alt-right activists rallied in Washington State on Sunday, one of the far-right attendees allegedly attempted to mow down a group of anti-fascist counter-protesters with his truck.
Attendees came sporting Nazi regalia; others had a history of organizing with local neo-Nazis. Eventually, some of the alt-right activists clashed with a group of anti-fascist demonstrators.
Following the “Patriot Prayer,” rally organized by Vancouver, Washington-based alt-right activist Joey Gibson, another group of anti-fascist demonstrators began a march of their own through the city’s downtown area.
Sometime after the counter-march began, a large, black Chevy Silverado displaying Confederate and American flags drove up to the anti-fascists and began to creep. The crowd then reportedly parted so the truck could pass by.
In video of the confrontation, a few of the mostly-black-clad counter-protesters can be seen and heard giving the driver of the truck a bevy of middle-finger responses and an earful of boos.
As the driver passes by the outstretched fingers and sustained verbal disapproval, one of the anti-fascists quickly snaps their wrist back and lobs what appears to be a half-full bottle of water at the driver’s side door.
Then the truck driver slams his gears into reverse.
Off-camera, other sounds of impact are heard, but it’s unclear what’s being hit. Meanwhile, as the driver’s pick-up quickly reverses, activists and onlookers gasp and shout “Get out of the way!”
Another anti-fascist can be seen flinging something at the truck after it barrels backwards down the street towards the crowds of counter-protesters. Ultimately, no one was hurt by the truck.
The driver of the truck was detained and questioned by Vancouver police, but apparently charges were not pursued.
LawNewz reached out to the Vancouver Police Department for more information. The department’s acting Public Information Officer, Lt. Kathy McNicholas, said:
The officers on the scene could not develop probable cause for the man’s arrest on intent of harming the counter-protesters. The case has been referred to a prosecuting attorney.
When pressed as to the names of the man or the arresting officers–and the incident’s resemblance to the violent attack that claimed the life of 32-year-old Heather Heyer last month–McNicholas said she was aware of the similarities but had no information other than that reports are being finished today and the man could still be charged sometime in the future.
[image via screengrab; video courtesy Matt Bevins/Twitter]
Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher
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