On Saturday in Carson City, after most major news organizations, to include Fox News, called the race for US President for Joe Biden, as many as a hundred people gathered along Carson Street in front of the Nevada State Capitol waving flags and signs. A handful of anti-Trump protesters were also in attendance, but most were Trump supporters who occasionally broke into a chant of “Stop the Steal” and “USA, USA.”
Shrill Rock music from the 1970s emanated from a pair of speakers and echoed off buildings on both sides of the street. Passing cars honked their horns.
Many wore firearms. A pack of Proud Boys in matching apparel patrolled the sidewalk and threated violence on several to include this reporter.
The wind came in cold gusts. From a distance, the gathering appeared to be a celebration, but the mood of attendees was dark, suspicious and edgy.
Be advised, this report contains strong profanity and images of violence.
I asked a man wearing a camouflage hat and Don’t Tread on Me bandana over his face why he was there.
“Why am I here,” he asked seemingly annoyed. “That’s a stupid question … I’m here because the fucking Pinkos are stealing the election … that’s what I’m doing here … it’s the Deep State in all those states where ballots for Biden showed up in a truck in the dark of the night in Philadelphia and Vegas … the whole thing is rigged, and we’re here to defend our president, that’s why I’m here.”
Anti-Trump Protesters and the Proud Boys
There were a handful of anti-Trump protesters in attendance.
An armed Trump supporter (L) interacts with an anti-Trump protester from Reno named Gabe (C).
“Biden won the election, and I wanted to come out here and show my support for that and make my voice heard,” Gabe said.
Gabe further qualified his participation as not being a Biden supporter necessarily but more an advocate for the integrity of the voting system and that Donald Trump lost the election.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a Biden supporter, but I would say I’m not a Trump supporter,” he said
Nicki is an anti-Trump protester who came from Reno. She said the Proud Boys literally threatened her life but that she will not be intimidated.
“We’re taking our streets back. That’s all there is to it,” Nicki said. “They think they’re going to come and bully us … they threatened to punch our teeth out. They threatened to kill us. They threatened to stab us, all right here. It just happened right here. Little Proud Boys over there … Proud Boy wannabes or whatever.
“They think they’re going to scare us off, they’re not. We’re gonna keep coming back.”
Proud Boys
The Proud Boys are a largely decentralized national group hatched in 2016 when Donald Trump came to power. Known for violence, these Carson City Proud Boys lived up to that billing.
They wore matching hats, shirts, hoodies, Polo-style shirts, and flack jackets. Their apparel was accented with gold trim and an Armanen rune, reminiscent of the lightning bolt-like symbol used by Adolf Hitler’s Schutzstaffel or SS.
A man stood by the protest. He did not have a sign and wore no political apparel. I asked him why he was there.
“I don’t have a specific goal. I just came down to walk around and check it out,” he said. “It’s weird for sure. Me and my buddy just got chased and yelled at by some of the Proud Boy dudes and the Trump supporters. It’s a weird day man … we weren’t doing anything. We were just standing around … it’s a weird day for sure.”
The Proud Boys moved in a group, up and down the sidewalk. Some wore a hand gun on their belt. Their threats and intimidation were not restricted to anti-Trump protesters or innocent bystanders.
A man wearing a MAGA hat and carrying a flag was packing up his gear and getting ready to leave. He refused to make a comment when I asked him why he was there. Then the Proud Boys arrived.
The Proud Boys were angry that the man had rolled up his flag.
“Show a little respect,” one of them said.
A gang of five Proud Boys moved closer to the man.
“You cocksuckers are on my list,” the man yelled. “Fuck you … go get your own flag,” he shrieked and raced toward one of the Proud Boys.
A pair of Capitol Police officers moved in to break up the fight.
I photographed the altercation, and when they were done with the Trump supporter, the obtuse and bellicose Proud Boys turned their attention to me.
“You want to take a picture,” the thugs yelled.
“Yeah,” I said.
After taking the photo, I walked across Carson Street toward my car.
“You’re a socialist, so will you give me your camera,” one asked as I crossed the road.
I waved, and they lit up with profanity, shouting across the street.
“Fuck you, you faggot Commie,” they yelled. “Lyin’ news mother fucker.”
Brian Bahouth is the editor of the Sierra Nevada Ally. Support his work and double your donation through NewsMatch until the end of the year.
