No arrested were made on Saturday as far-right extremists who planned to rally at the Stone Mountain, Georgia Confederate monument clashed with counter protesters. Stone Mountain Park, where the Confederate monument stands, closed to avoid violence and denied the Arkansas group Confederate States III% a permit. Groups took to the streets of the town instead.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: “The protest drew dozens of heavily armed private militia from around the state, neighboring states, and as far away as Arkansas. They were motivated by the taunting of the leader of an all-black militia who marched on Stone Mountain Park July 4, but they also expressed their rage over the removal of Confederate monuments, shared conspiracy theories, and voiced their support of President Donald Trump. The militia-backed protesters were met by hundreds of counter demonstrators eager to shout them down. That group included mainline civil rights organizations like the NAACP but also far-left anarchists and socialists, some of whom arrived with assault weapons and were as heavily armed as the militia.”
The AP adds: “For several hours, there was little visible police presence and things were largely peaceful, aside from some shoving and pushing and spirited arguments. But just before 1 p.m., fights broke out, with people punching and kicking each other and throwing rocks. That’s when police officers in riot gear moved in to disperse the crowds. By 2 p.m., almost all of the protesters had left the area.”
