January 6th - ‘MAGA Wild’ in Sacramento
This morning at 9 AM hundreds gathered at the self-titled “Wild Protest MAGA March” to protest against Congress’ certification of the democratic results of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. It mirrors a similar event in Washington D.C. where Donald Trump vowed to supporters that he would “Never concede” (1). The New York Times now reports that the D.C. protest is having troops deployed by the Army National Guard. Despite this being the most closely watched and investigated election in U.S. history, no evidence of fraud has been brought forth, and all of the Trump campaign’s lawsuits have so far fallen flat. This means nothing to supporters, who remain adamant that Trump is the true winner of the 2020 presidential election. Among prominent groups in attendance were local nationalist groups, pro-Trump groups, Three Percenters, and the Proud Boys, which are now well-known in the area for political violence over the past few months and years.
For the time that I was there, it lived up to its “Wild Protest” name, with ABC10 reporting multiple arrests (1). After thirty-five minutes of photographing the event, I was confronted by several men in bulletproof vests with Proud Boys paraphernalia. They claimed I was working with @blackzebrapro , which is a local group that documents events of this nature, and told me to leave. They called me a “fucking queer” and said with a raised fist that if I came within 500 feet of the event again, it would be “first the camera, then the face”. See video below.
Because I was parked well within that 500-foot buffer, I approached a police officer standing in the park and explained the situation. He told me to go through Capitol Park. When I reminded him of the 500 foot rule, which of course included the park and the actual car, he did not reply and turned away.
Once in the parking garage, I was chased by five men in bulletproof plate carriers wearing Proud Boy logos. They demanded to know who I worked for, said that I was “Antifa press”, and surrounded me. One said to another to “get a picture of this dude’s ID,” - When I walked away stating they had no right to stop me, they chased me up the stairs to my car with a slough of threatening and aggressive statements. Given their past of stabbings in the area, I admit I was more than a little nervous, so please pardon my shaky filming and high-pitched pleading. The video may be hard to watch. (The security for this event was extensive. This is how the Proud Boys secured the event.)
Video shows MAGA supporters and Proud Boys determine our reporter undesirable and chase them to their car.
Related article: The security for this event was extensive. This is how the Proud Boys secure an event.
The symbols guide may be of particular use for this article.
1: https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/sacramento/hundreds-gather-at-sacramento-
