During an anti-Trump rally that drew hundreds to the Tippecanoe County Courthouse, a driver who left his truck in Trump gear to confront crowd gets head butted, returns with a rifle. No arrest made
Having been there today, marching into the courthouse block just as the driver with the assault rifle was being arrested, I am keenly interested! My question: as the (unfortunately violent) head-butter did *not* pursue the yelling driver, and the driver walked back around to the far side of his truck to retrieve and brandish the rifle, at what point does a situation cease to be “self defense” and become instead retribution?
This was not self-defense. Period. You cannot instigate the fight and then claim self-defense. If the danger ends, you can’t claim self-defense. Lafayette police should be ashamed of themselves.
Precisely! "He walked along the lines of demonstrators on sidewalks outside the courthouse, first along Third and then on Columbia, as people shouted that he had a gun."
Let’s focus on the positive- there were a TON of people there, in spite of the weather, and most of the motorists were honking in support. Build on this momentum.
Great points, In_IN! There was so much about the event that was great to be a part of! Let’s hope that after the next rally Dave Bangert shapes a positively focused piece about the variety of concerns attendees bring with them. From the signs I could see where I stood, I was reminded just what a broad cross-section of society understands that Trump and his team are truly awful for our nation and are trying to destroy so much of value that we have achieved in the last 100 years. And that in itself is a powerful and positive message!
I'm grateful that no one was shot. This could easily have been a mass shooting. Lafayette is now the new Charlottesville where white racists are allowed to threaten and terrorize protestors. Why would any foreign company want to invest in our community? Why would any parents want to send their children to Purdue with this kind of police sanctioned level of intimidation? The driver in the black truck went to a rally armed with the intention of picking a fight. I guess that's acceptable behavior according to Mayor Tony and the Lafayette police department. When the police refuse to maintain order, the people will need to arm themselves against the aggressors. Sad to see Lafayette sink so low.
1. The guy's wife or girlfriend made social media posts calling on conservatives to come counter-protest days before. So this was not about being frustrated by pedestrians, but a planned action.
2. The people crossing the street were doing so in a crosswalk, with the light.
3. When the guy got out of his truck, he yelled at pedestrians, pushing and chest-bumping some.
4. The guy who head-butted him did so after being pushed by him.
5. I'd love to see the " security footage from city cameras". Really.
This was a peaceful protest. This guy went there to try to disrupt it.
The LPD looks ridiculous having let this guy off with no charges given the ample video evidence. If you show up to a protest with a bullhorn and a gun and start bumping chests with protesters, you're instigating and escalating. FAFO.
I'll add to this. Several bystander videos have been shared with me, since I was right there during the arrest. It seems clear — to amplify Laura Baker's point — that this guy and his companion clearly arrived ready to confront. Before he even gets out of the car, she’s yelling things (even with a megaphone) about the 2nd Amendment. Certainly seems premeditated. I hope that the police review things and ask themselves whether this kind of public display of violence supported by an assault rifle is something from which one should just be released to go free.
Friends who use social media are doing a little digging for me. It turns out that apparently the driver with the assault rifle and his wife have been bragging on fb about their plans to do this for weeks. If true, how can this not paint a picture of someone violating the law with intent to incite violence???
I was there, but not to witness any of the creep with the truck and gun antics. I am happy no one was shot.
At least five friends of mine who saw and heard a bit or way more than a bit of what went on today with the guy with a gun, the pedestrians, and the head-butter... they have made me very sad by telling me things they saw and heard that tell me that the LPD and the J&C are both not really doing their jobs here. So very sad.
Having been there today, marching into the courthouse block just as the driver with the assault rifle was being arrested, I am keenly interested! My question: as the (unfortunately violent) head-butter did *not* pursue the yelling driver, and the driver walked back around to the far side of his truck to retrieve and brandish the rifle, at what point does a situation cease to be “self defense” and become instead retribution?
This was not self-defense. Period. You cannot instigate the fight and then claim self-defense. If the danger ends, you can’t claim self-defense. Lafayette police should be ashamed of themselves.
Precisely! "He walked along the lines of demonstrators on sidewalks outside the courthouse, first along Third and then on Columbia, as people shouted that he had a gun."
I like the comments here on substack a lot more than the comments on Facebook.
Let’s focus on the positive- there were a TON of people there, in spite of the weather, and most of the motorists were honking in support. Build on this momentum.
Great points, In_IN! There was so much about the event that was great to be a part of! Let’s hope that after the next rally Dave Bangert shapes a positively focused piece about the variety of concerns attendees bring with them. From the signs I could see where I stood, I was reminded just what a broad cross-section of society understands that Trump and his team are truly awful for our nation and are trying to destroy so much of value that we have achieved in the last 100 years. And that in itself is a powerful and positive message!
I'm grateful that no one was shot. This could easily have been a mass shooting. Lafayette is now the new Charlottesville where white racists are allowed to threaten and terrorize protestors. Why would any foreign company want to invest in our community? Why would any parents want to send their children to Purdue with this kind of police sanctioned level of intimidation? The driver in the black truck went to a rally armed with the intention of picking a fight. I guess that's acceptable behavior according to Mayor Tony and the Lafayette police department. When the police refuse to maintain order, the people will need to arm themselves against the aggressors. Sad to see Lafayette sink so low.
1. The guy's wife or girlfriend made social media posts calling on conservatives to come counter-protest days before. So this was not about being frustrated by pedestrians, but a planned action.
2. The people crossing the street were doing so in a crosswalk, with the light.
3. When the guy got out of his truck, he yelled at pedestrians, pushing and chest-bumping some.
4. The guy who head-butted him did so after being pushed by him.
5. I'd love to see the " security footage from city cameras". Really.
This was a peaceful protest. This guy went there to try to disrupt it.
The LPD looks ridiculous having let this guy off with no charges given the ample video evidence. If you show up to a protest with a bullhorn and a gun and start bumping chests with protesters, you're instigating and escalating. FAFO.
This situation is a really good indicator of how skilled the safety marshalls are at their roles.
It was great to see the large turnout, and the massive turnout across the country. There's a lot to protest right now!
I'll add to this. Several bystander videos have been shared with me, since I was right there during the arrest. It seems clear — to amplify Laura Baker's point — that this guy and his companion clearly arrived ready to confront. Before he even gets out of the car, she’s yelling things (even with a megaphone) about the 2nd Amendment. Certainly seems premeditated. I hope that the police review things and ask themselves whether this kind of public display of violence supported by an assault rifle is something from which one should just be released to go free.
Friends who use social media are doing a little digging for me. It turns out that apparently the driver with the assault rifle and his wife have been bragging on fb about their plans to do this for weeks. If true, how can this not paint a picture of someone violating the law with intent to incite violence???
She posted her intent on Facebook at least twice. These postings have since been removed.
But people got screenshots.
Here’s some video. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15qGHxrv5e/?mibextid=wwXIfr
This video clearly shows him assaulting the guy recording with his phone. LPD really making our community look bad with this press release.
I REALLY want to see video of when he first got out of his truck. I hope there is some.
I was there, but not to witness any of the creep with the truck and gun antics. I am happy no one was shot.
At least five friends of mine who saw and heard a bit or way more than a bit of what went on today with the guy with a gun, the pedestrians, and the head-butter... they have made me very sad by telling me things they saw and heard that tell me that the LPD and the J&C are both not really doing their jobs here. So very sad.
Will Persin, a resident - and the son of Republican Tippecanoe County Circuit Court Judge Sean Persin, was protesting against Trump ? Wow