It is behind a paywall so won't post a link. Basically, an 18-year-old biracial female wanted to support BLM and decided to have a small demonstration downtown at the square, mainly with her friends. Word got out among the RW vermin in Prescott and Prescott Valley though social media and they came crawling out with their tactical gear, AR-15s and bat handles, etc. Proud Boys, Oaf Keepers and other of the local neo-Nazis and trumpistas showed up, expecting or probably hoping for a pitched battle like in Portland. They were quoted and the responses were as stupid, hateful and scary as you might expect.
They headed in droves to the square in trucks waving flags and guns and trying to intimidate the students. Lots of slurs were hurled at the students. Prescott Indivisible, which holds regular protests there while working with local law enforcement, tried to get their supporters there but were outnumbered 3-to-1 and eventually the groups had to leave. The students were obviously shaken by their attempt at expressing their opinion but the folks at Indivisible could have told them what to expect, even though they had every right to express themselves.
I have a friend who grew up there, works downtown and is half-Hispanic, although she doesn't look like it. She described what it was like to lose friends when they found out her racial heritage. I have friends in that town who are good people but I recently moved for several reasons, but one was the atmosphere that is usually underneath the surface - this incident showed it is not that far below. Too bad because it is a beautiful area with good people, but there is an historic racism in that town but the repug officials (including scumbag Gosar) will not ever address.
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