By Mike Killalea, NSD president
In typical GOP fashion, the leaders of ruby-red Montgomery County blame anti-Trump protestors for violence and arrests, but court records show that the miscreants at a recent anti-Trump rally were non-protestors threatening the crowd, according to the Houston Chronicle.
One woman tossed a water bottle at the crowd, which hit a cop. Oops! This miscreant was the only one charged with a felony (note to self: Don’t throw stuff at cops)
The protestors opposed Trump’s anti-immigrant policies. “Hate never made America great” read one sign. Another said, “No one is illegal in God’s eyes.
To get a sense of the casual racism in MontCo, check out this reporting of the arrests from the Montgomery County Police Reporter. (The publication has a cozy relationship with MontCo law enforcement)
“The Conroe Hispanic protest (emphasis mine), which started out peaceful became unruly after about 4 pm.” Hispanic protest? Gimme a break.
MCPR’s headline screamed “FOUR ARRESTED DURING CONROE PROTEST”, yet only provides details on three:
-- The alleged bottle thrower with the unfortunate aim was identified as Conroe resident Ruby Elizabeth Meza, 19. Meza was charged with assault on a police officer, the only felony charge.
-- Duanterrus Trevon Hatchett, 24, also of Conroe, allegedly punched a juvenile who was among the protestors. Charged with Class A assault.
-- Anthony Lamar Richardson Jr., 26, Cleveland, TX, allegedly was trying to pick fights with protestors. He was charged with interfering with public duties after on several occasions he attempted to pick a fight with protesters.
MCPR continues, “Once the arrests took place most of the adults dispersed from the protest. However, over 100 younger protesters remained.”
The fourth individual charged, mysteriously absent from MCPR’s article, evokes memories of the Charlottesville, VA, automobile murder and assaults. according to the Chronicle, Michael David Green, 41 of Conroe. Green is accused of swerving into the crowd of protesters while driving by. Green was charged with assault causing bodily injury and making terroristic threats, the Chroniclesaid.
Richardson was really looking for a fight, according to the Chronicle. He allegedly pushed his way into the crowd of protesters multiple times, attempting to start a fight.
Police moved Richardson away from the protestors several times. Finally, poice took him to a nearby parking lot and asked him to remain there.
“Almost immediately, Richardson ran back across the street with balled-up fists and continued screaming at the protesters while pushing into the crowd, attempting to start the fighting again,” MontCo prosecutor Donna Hansen was reported as saying.
Police said Green swerved into the crowd while driving by the protest, according to Hansen. As Hansen read the event's details during the probable cause hearing, Green shook his head no.
Police officers said they stopped Green and asked him how many times he had driven by the protest, and Green told officers he had been by earlier in the day, Hansen said.
“Earlier in the day at the beginning of the protest, a call came in about (someone) in a black Chevy Camaro flashing a pistol at the crowd as it drove by,” Hansen said. “Green told the officers he reached behind the seat as if he had a gun because protesters were hitting and kicking the car and tried to climb into it through the open windows.”
(Note from Mike: Well, if I were protesting, and some clown kept driving near me and my buddies, I would probably kick the stupid car too!)
Hansen said officers also asked Green about throwing a water bottle and striking someone in the crowd. However, Green said the bottle was first thrown at him through his open car window, and he threw it back, according to Hansen.
The 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of evading arrest and was released from custody, said County Attorney B.D. Griffin, who did not release any further information, according to the Chronicle.
Conroe Mayor Duke Coon said in his original statement that the adults arrested were from Houston and Harris County. He updated his statement Sunday and said that information was not correct.
Even Coon's updated statement was disingenuous. Coon said several protesters became aggressive and assaulted a police officer, and that several protesters were arrested. This is “information that also appears to be incorrect based on the details provided by prosecutor Donna Hansen,” the Chroniclearticle reads.
With apologies to the paywall challenged, here is the link:
Way to straigten our misinformation, or was it disinformation?