A small but chaotic protest in Louisville, Kentucky, last Wednesday led to seventeen arrests, five cars towed, and one confiscated gun, but for some reason, the local media initially focused like a laser beam on a panicked woman in a car that struck a “protester.”
Louisville has seen unrest since May 28 over the shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, a unarmed black woman killed by police during a shootout in her apartment. The incident happened during a no-knock raid for drugs in her apartment on March 13.
During a street demonstration last Wednesday, a 46-year old black woman plowed into an agitator with her car after it was mobbed by violent rioters. The activist is seen on video getting up and walking away after being hit.
Viral headlines blared the message that the police were hot on the trail of the driver who hit one of the “protesters” blocking the street, as if she was the one who had acted unlawfully.
The woman quickly turned herself in, telling police that she had seen one person with a handgun and “was in fear for her life.”
According to the incident report, she told police that the rioters had reached into her car and assaulted her, pulling out a dreadlock. They also scratched her window, she said. The video shows her backing up as the altercation heats up, and then pulling forward and speeding away as agitators swarmed her car.
This story went from bad to worse. First, local news (@WLK) said police were interested in interviewing a driver who struck a protester. @WLKY purposefully omitted the first part of the video showing protesters attacking the driver.pic.twitter.com/kUnw7BlpTb
— Ian McKelvey (@ian_mckelvey) June 22, 2020
Another local news source in Louisville. Keep in mind that this headline went nationwide. pic.twitter.com/vqhUzRCutm
— Ian McKelvey (@ian_mckelvey) June 22, 2020
Just to provide some reference material, here is the original headline from @WLKY.
“Police looking for driver who struck protester.” The video was edited and did not show the driver being attacked. No mention was made of the attackers. pic.twitter.com/ENydqm7Iis
— Ian McKelvey (@ian_mckelvey) June 22, 2020
Another recording shows a protester pointing a gun at the car as it sped away.
Eventually, police showed up in riot gear and fired pepper balls at the agitators who were unlawfully blocking the street. Several activists had also parked their cars in the street to act as additional obstacles.
Louisville Metro Police spokesman Lamont Washington said police arrested 17 people for offenses that include “inciting a riot, second-degree disorderly conduct, obstructing a highway, harassment with contact, second-degree fleeing and third-degree assault.”
“Again, we have repeatedly asked protesters not to block intersections, which is what prompted police action this morning,” Washington said in a statement.
Like police in other Democrat-controlled cities, Louisville cops having been operating under extreme duress in recent weeks.
Last week, a retired Louisville police officer led a protest to express frustration with city and police officials for “inadequate” leadership amid the unrest.
More than 100 off-duty and retired officers stood behind George Rodman, a 2017 retiree and father of a fallen officer, at Central Park in Old Louisville.
“(Officers) are mentally and physically exhausted,” Rodman said. “Unappreciated by the mayor and elected officials. Bewildered, frustrated, hesitant, abandoned, and most of all, judged for the uniform they wear.”
LMPD officers are being abused by protesters and their families threatened on a daily basis, Rodman said. They’re hit with glass bottles filled with urine or gas, feces, bricks and homemade explosives. Some are verbally berated, physically assaulted and shot at, he said.
Following the altercation last Wednesday, Louisville police arrested Darius Anderson for pointing a gun at the driver. The detective said Anderson passed it off to Brionna Richards, “who then hid the gun in a vehicle.” Police searched the vehicle and found the gun, according to the arrest citation.
Among the recent additions from KY is Darius Anderson. Pointing a gun at a driver. https://t.co/b7lK2sIIj1
Arrested along with Brionna Richards who tried to hide his gun.#antifa #AntifaTerrorist #exposeantifa #riots #riots2020 #antifamugshots pic.twitter.com/8UCCLlGHsg
— AntifaWatch.us (@AntifaWatch2) June 19, 2020
Both Anderson and Richards were charged with “rioting, tampering with physical evidence, disorderly conduct and obstructing a highway.” Additionally, Anderson was charged with “wanton endangerment and third-degree criminal mischief.”
The driver of the vehicle was not charged.