Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim erupts in violence; three stabbed

[WhiteTara]

Source: LA Times

Three people were stabbed and several arrested when a Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim erupted in violence Saturday, police said.

A small group of people representing the Klan had announced that it would hold a rally at Pearson Park at 1:30 p.m., police said. By 11 a.m., several dozen protesters showed up at the park to confront the Klan.

About an hour later, several men in black garb with Confederate flag patches arrived and were escorted by police around the edge of the park.

Violence erupted and some of the counter-protesters could be seen kicking a man whose shirt read "Grand Dragon." At some point, a counter-protester collapsed on the ground bleeding, crying that he had been stabbed.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-klan-rally-in-anaheim-erupts-in-violence-one-man-stabbed-20160227-story.html

[fun n serious]

1. Nasty evil people! nt

[Yo_Mama]

15. Yes, but the counter-protesters physically attacked the KKK guys.

Protest, but don't try to murder them. There are not any good guys in this story.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-klan-idUSKCN0W00V2

Thirteen people were arrested following the melee, including one Klan member who is accused of stabbing a counter-protester with a flagpole, said Anaheim Police Sergeant Daron Wyatt.
...
The vehicle pulled up and three men got out and began to unload signs when the group of about 50 counter-protesters approached them, yelling and throwing sticks, witnesses said.

"Three people were stabbed by the fire hydrant," said Darren Simpson, 49. "These Klan guys were fighting for their lives."

One KKK guy stabbed a counter-protester with a flagpole and was arrested. Otherwise, the police arrested thirteen of the counter-protesters.

???????

[7962]

22. And as usual, very few actual Klan members.

They've been a "has been" group for years. rarely is there EVER a "Klan march" that involves more than a few, met by hundreds of opponents

[Yo_Mama]

32. That was true when I was a kid, even. Maybe now they have some sort of retro transgressive

racial chic or something. Who knows? Who cares? Yuck.

But we can't start trying to beat each other to death over pure speech. Stand there and point out just how disgusting they are. That's a lot more USEFUL.

Gosh, I'm having a bad day.

[7962]

40. You're right

[davidn3600]

39. They are online now, like most hate groups

Harder to confront them directly and it's easier for them to spread their message.

[MrWendel]

2. A Klan rally...

in of if not they most liberal state in the US. What could POSSIBLY go wrong there?

[SwankyXomb]

16. Don't be fooled

Orange County is a staunch Republican stronghold.

[MrWendel]

21. Did not...

know that. Regardless, sooner or later they were gonna run into POC and then that shit would be on.

[GummyBearz]

44. I'm not sure how well the other poster knows orange county

Not trying to argue against him, just giving a bit more of a nuanced response here

I lived there from 2002-2015. It is republican as a county, this is true, but north and especially north east OC (where Anaheim is) are not the same as the rest of OC. Anaheim is very mixed race... I googled it, in 2010 Anaheim is 52.8% hispanic or latino. The KKK marchers had balls but no brains (obviously).

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Anaheim was a Klan town with Klan controlled city council into the 1920's....

other bits of history over the years.

[jpak]

3. The Klan reaps what it sows

Karma's a beach and all that...

[Dr. Xavier]

4. That's why we used to call it

Klanaheim, although most Southern Californians are too young or too recent emigres to know that.

[WhiteTara]

5. Their home base is in a town not far

from where I live. Harrison Arkansas

[Rebkeh]

11. I remember

[shanti]

43. oh yes

and if you dig a little deeper, you will learn that Orange County was originally founded by a Klansman.

http://www.ocweekly.com/news/orange-county-founded-by-kkk-6474577

[villager]

6. What are those wacky GOP voters up to now!?

[WhiteTara]

7. Just a good time. nt

[villager]

8. "Doing what we've always done for kicks!" nt

[WhiteTara]

9. A little punching and stabbing nt

[villager]

10. "It's what's for election time."

Ahh, beef.

[juxtaposed]

12. trump rally gets out of hand

[WhiteTara]

13. Just some hater good fun.

[branford]

14. The article indicates that the protesters,

not the Klansmen, initiated the violence, and the Klan may have actually acted in self-defense. If the witness testimony of Brian Levin, director of CSU San Bernardino's Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, supports the Klan's account, I expect serious felony charges against the protesters and the stabbing to held to be legitimate self-defense to assault.

No matter how vile the message, peaceful demonstration is allowed under our Constitution, and people do not get to physically assault those with whom they disagree. It matters not at all whether the demonstrators are members of the Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, the Communist Party, or anyone else.

[7962]

23. You are correct, although you seem to be in the minority here.

If we dont think this is wrong, then we can hardly criticize when the other side does it to some group

[rockfordfile]

17. KKK should get the hell out of our country.

[bluestateguy]

19. Would a jury convict someone of beating the shit out of a Klansman?

(Even if it wasn't in self-defense)

Serious question.

[branford]

20. Absolutely, and jurors who wouldn't would be easily weeded out the jury pool.

For a great many people across the political spectrum, violence is not justified without actual, reasonable and serious threats, and people who employ such violence are just as bad or worse as any racist. As a society, we could do with neither racist Klansmen or violent thugs, and one does not balance the other.

A judge may also severely limit defense counsel's ability to offer evidence of the content of the victim's speech as it would not constitute an actual viable legal defense without proof of direct physical threats to the defendant beyond mere offense or disagreement.

Further, considering the credibility of the witnesses favoring the victim cited in the article who also loathe the victim's ideas, if the facts are as suggested, I expect any defendants to quickly seek plea agreements.

Would you vote to convict if it was proven that the protesters seriously attacked the Klan members without any legal provocation?

[montana_hazeleyes]

27. Racists klansmen OR violent thugs?

I don't think anyone should be attacked for demonstrating.

But that thug word is a code word now for black men. KKK are Violent THUGS! Always have been, still are.

[branford]

28. I have no idea of the race or ethnicity of the counter-protesters,

and was using "thug" is the most classic sense, i.e. "a man who is violent, especially a criminal."

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/us/dictionary/american/thug

Anyone who violently attacks someone solely because they don't like their ideas is a violent criminal and should be referred to and treated as such.

Moreover, just because most Klansmen are indeed thugs (I'm Jewish and certainly need no convincing), assuming the facts are accurately reported, doesn't mean those who attacked them aren't also thugs, just of a slightly different variety.

[montana_hazeleyes]

30. I don't usually get into controversy here at all, look up my posts, but,

as I said no group should be attacked for demonstrating!

But come on, the word thug is now being used to mean black men only. ONLY!

The KKK is not just racist. The are and always have been EVIL violent thugs. Don't think they are not getting away with violence and murder to this day.

I live in California and there are hotbeds of racist areas all through this state. Plus every city and town here has its racists. I know. I am white. my husband black. We have been in a so called liberal area for decades and the racism we and our children have experienced would knock your socks off.

One of my daughters is married to a wonderful Jewish man. She has converted. So I understand what you are saying about that. Just imagine the double whammy on that!

I've been thinking all along this Donald Trump success is all about racism against everyone who is not like them. Especially black people. They have been bottling up their hatred of Obama being president for almost eight years. That's what's coming out fast and furious.

Charlie Manson didn't get his race war started like he hoped, but, I can tell you now, Donald Trump will.

[branford]

33. You certainly will not find me defending the actual content of the KKK's

or Donald Trump's ideas, nor do I disagree that the vast majority of Klansmen are thugs in every sense of the word!

However, as you acknowledge, if these particular Klansmen were not violent during their demonstration and didn't actually directly threaten anyone, any violence committed against them is unquestionably illegal and inexcusable. Everyone in the USA has a right to peacefully demonstrate and speak, no matter how vile their ideology.

Again, if the the facts in the article are accurate, all that the attackers managed to accomplish is make the KKK into legitimate victims, an otherwise very difficult task, and imply those fighting racism are capable of acts not much better than the KKK. It strengthens people like Trump, and we must avoid this at all costs lest he and people like him gain more political support.

[montana_hazeleyes]

35. I said on both my posts that

NO group should be attacked for the freedom of demonstrating! I hate that this happened just like you do and the reasons you stated.

I don't think you understand what was bothering me was about the wording. Maybe I'm not able to make myself clear.

Sorry

[branford]

36. No need to apologize and I believe our views are largely in accord about this matter.

Was my use of the word "thug" that concerned you? If so, that's unfortunate as I don't attach any racial component to this old and ubiquitous term, and quite explicitly agreed that the KKK were definitely thugs, i.e., violent criminals, as is anyone who reacts to peaceful demonstration with violence.

[7962]

41. Which is why its appropriate to use "thug" whenever a true thug shows its face.

I've used the term for years and will continue to use it. A thug is a type of person, not just a color. And as many people as I know who use it to describe ANY violent criminal, I'm not going to just drop it because suddenly its "supposed" to mean ONLY black. Its not true. I've seen it used to describe power hungry cops in MANY instances. A black man who knocks out a woman from behind is a thug. So is a cop of any race who beats a handcuffed prisoner.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

37. Is racist klansmen redundant?

[branford]

25. All indications were that the Klan was indeed peacefully demonstrating,

and they were violently accosted by the counter-protesters.

Regardless of the vile and disgusting nature of the Klan, they unquestionably have an absolute right to peacefully demonstrate, and any attacks against them should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If they are not, expect other demonstrators who we may agree with to suffer similar unpleasant fates and the public and authorities to likewise do nothing.

[melman]

31. Agreed

but good luck with that argument here. Sad to say, but freedom of speech is not a very popular idea around these parts.

[branford]

34. True, but I will not let some fair weather liberals prevent me from defending free speech,

a freedom largely hard won by progressive jurists, even when it concerns those whom I find vile or offensive.

The proper response to speech, is more speech, not violence.

[Leontius]

38. Free speech is very popular here

As long as it's the "right kind" of speech.

[ThreeWayFanny]

26. Klanaheim....

The Klan has a long and troubling history with the city. Klansmen were once the dominant political force in Anaheim, holding four of five City Council seats before a recall effort led to their ouster in 1924.

At the height of the group's power in Orange County, nearly 300 Klansmen lived in Anaheim, patrolling city streets in robes and masks. A large KKK rally once attracted 20,000 people to the city.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-the-ku-klux-klan-ugly-violent-history-in-anaheim-20160227-story.html

[GummyBearz]

45. 1924??

I think a tiny bit of change has occurred there in the last 96 years. At least it didn't seemed to be run by the KKK when I lived next door a year ago. It is now mostly Asian and Latino residents, which I don't think are members of the KKK

[mr clean]

29. What? Nobody was shot!?!?

[Sunlei]

42. Todays-kkk look like police-thugs with flag-spears :P. Thanks for proving the Con. Flag is racist.

[Judi Lynn]

46. 12 Gut-Wrenching Photos Show Aftermath of KKK Rally in Anaheim

12 Gut-Wrenching Photos Show Aftermath of KKK Rally in Anaheim

By Tom McKay
1 hour ago

A Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim, California, devolved into violence on Saturday, ending with three people stabbed and 13 others arrested, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Dozens of counter-protesters arrived to protest "several men in black garb with Confederate flag patches [sic]" who were planning on conducting a demonstration at 1:30 p.m. in Pearson Park, the Times reported. Within minutes, brawling broke out as the crowd rushed towards the KKK members, and three people were stabbed — all counter-protesters, according to USA Today. One of the weapons used by the Klansmen was a flag pole.

According to the Associated Press, both sides are blaming the other for the bloodshed.

"This just goes to show how immature they are," KKK member Will Quigg told the AP. "We came here for a peaceful protest and they came here and jumped on us." But one counter-protester told the news agency "They started pulling out weapons. Them. They. They started pulling out weapons."

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/12-gut-wrenching-photos-show-203700344.html

[WhiteTara]

47. Quite the nasty mess.

thanks for the photos.