‘Burn Your Mask Day’ in Grass Valley
03.27.2021 |“I see any of these f--cking pictures pop up anywhere I’m coming for you,” shouts notorious Proud Boy member Brandon Witte at our reporter (see video below). He's seen here wearing a hat that has a Punisher skull with former president Donald Trump’s hair.
Today was “Burn Your Mask Day” in Brunswick, with speakers and protesters turning out to assert that COVID-19 either doesn’t exist or isn’t dangerous. Many of the signs are focused on COVID-19 vaccinations, one going as far as claiming it is an “operating system” that downloads itself into your brain.
The Proud Boys, a fascist group, ran security. Many people know them for former President Donald Trump’s comments telling them to “stand back and stand by” (1) and through multiple FBI arrests in connection to the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol (2).
Here in Grass Valley, Proud Boys haven’t been very visible, but today they have made their way to the Brunswick area for the event. Numerous Proud Boys logos adorn hats and shirts, including one that reads “Hangtown”. Hangtown is the nickname given to Placerville due to its past of lynchings. Nevada County is no stranger to politically violent groups, though, with the August 9th, 2020 attempt to violently suppress a Black Lives Matter protest (3) still fresh in the minds of many locals.
1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIHhB1ZMV_o&ab_channel=AssociatedPress
2 www.union-bulletin.com/news/northwest/fbi-arrests-proud-boys-suspects-in-deadly-u-s-capitol-conspiracy/article_f7996ac8-8d7f-11eb-ba28-4319d4042aed.html
3 www.theunion.com/news/investigations-to-look-into-officers-at-nevada-citys-violent-protest/
