Since the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, in rural towns across the United States, Black Lives Matter protests have attracted and continue to attract counter protesters and ugly confrontations.
In Minden, Nevada on Saturday, hundreds of counter protesters, many of them armed, surrounded Black Lives Matter activists and variously assaulted and verbally abused them while Douglas County Sheriffs largely stood by.
In Nevada City, California on Sunday, a BLM protest garnered counter protesters who physically accosted marchers. Video shows enraged men wearing Trump regalia pushed, shoved, slapped, and destroyed the signs of BLM protesters marching on Broad Street.
Following the incident, Nevada City interim Chief of Police Chad Ellis condemned the anti-BLM ruffians and vowed to press criminal charges, but during the protest, police officers watched while hooligans, who were not wearing masks, variously attacked BLM marchers.
A seated Nevada City City Council member was assaulted during the incident. Several children were part of the BLM protest.
Video shows a Nevada City police officer who appears to be marching with counter protesters and not wearing a mask.
Josh Wolf is a journalist who lives in the Nevada City area and produced a video of the incident. On this edition of the Wild Hare, we chat with Josh Wolf about what happened in Nevada City.
Podcast music credits as reported to the Public Radio Exchange in order of appearance.
Song: Dismantling Frank
Artist: Bonobo
Album: One Offs… Remixes & B Sides
Label: Tru Thoughts
Year: 2011
Duration: 1:25
Song: Orion
Artist: Bill Laswell
Album: Jah Wobble
Label: Jah Wobble
Year: 1996
Duration: 4:20
Song: Between the Lines
Artist: Bonobo
Album: Days to Come
Label: Ninja Tune
Year: 2001
Duration: 2:14
Song: 6th Chamber
Artist: Bill Laswell
Album: Jah Wobble
Label: Jah Wobble
Year: 1996
Duration: 2:34
Brian Bahouth hosts and produces the Wild Hare podcast. He is a career public media journalist. Support his work.
