Heavily Armed Trump Protesters March on Arizona State Capitol, Where is MSNBC? VIDEO

By Jeff Knox : Opinion

Trump Protestors at Arizona State Capitol
Trump Protesters at Arizona State Capitol : The John Brown Gun Club, Brown Berets, and Antifascist Action at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix. They don’t like Trump or Trump supporters – or the capitalist form of government – but some do have some nice kit.
FirearmsCoalition.org
FirearmsCoalition.org

Buckeye, AZ –-(Ammoland.com)- Eight years ago, shortly after Barack Obama was elected, a group of citizens protesting his policies gathered outside a Phoenix venue where the new president was giving a speech.

Several of the protesters were openly carrying sidearms, and one had an AR-15 slung over his shoulder. The armed protesters raised eyebrows and attracted national news media attention.

MSNBC in particular strongly suggested that the armed protesters were racially motivated, showing closeups of the rifle-toter’s back, with the “evil black rifle” silhouetted against his white dress shirt. The photos they showed were cropped in such a way that only the rifle and the shirt were visible, though the un-cropped photos clearly showed the back of the African-American man’s head, the side of his face, and his hands. Pretty unlikely that the black man with a gun was some sort of white supremacist. MSNBC later offered up a “clarification,” to correct their “mistake,” but the narrative that violent racists were carrying guns as a threat against America’s first black president persisted.

Fast-forward 8 years, and the scene in Phoenix was more threatening, and received much less coverage.

A couple of hundred supporters of President Donald Trump showed up for a Make America Great Again march from a nearby park to the Arizona State Capitol. In response a couple of dozen counter-protesters showed up with rifles and shotguns strapped to the plate carriers on their chests, and red bandannas tied around their necks. Many also had scarves covering their faces. The protesters marched in a 2×2, paramilitary formation past the capital in a grim show of resistance and intolerance.

A reporter, Stephen Lemons, from the very liberal alternative weekly New Times, fell in with the anti-Trump marchers, videoing them and trying to ask questions about their objectives. Rather than explaining their positions or stating their goals, the marchers responded with physical intimidation and not-too-veiled threats.

The incident generated little coverage outside of the reporter’s Facebook Live, which has gone viral among pro-gun social media. The lack of media attention is not just because Americans have been desensitized to seeing armed protesters at various open carry events around the country. It’s also because the media prefers to focus on radical right-wing extremists and militia members. People wearing body armor and openly carrying rifles and handguns have become routine for Black Lives Matter protests and anti-Trump events, but we rarely see them on the evening news. Instead we see the “extremists” among Trump supporters, yelling obscenities and falling for the bait being offered by the anti-Trump crowd. While journalists still like to make an issue about armed protesters, they much prefer to limit their coverage of such things to the right-wing.

The groups on display at the recent Phoenix Trump rally were an interesting mix of communists, anarchists, Chicano nationalists, and confused, libertarian populists. The counter-protest was apparently organized by the local chapter of a group called Redneck Revolt, which paints itself as a populist movement of poor whites who blame all of the world’s problems on rich white men and the capitalist system. The local group calls itself the Phoenix John Brown Gun Club, in honor of the infamous, radical abolitionist. They were joined by members of Antifascist Action Phoenix, and members of the Brown Berets, a Chicano nationalist group. All of the groups have similar rhetoric decrying fascism, capitalism, racism, sexism, and rich, white people, while advocating for the poor and working class of all races, religions, ethnicities, and sexual denominations. Banners proclaiming that “America was Never Great,” and “Smash the State” are standard fare for the “Antifa” groups.

None of these groups seem to have any suggestions for better systems, just rejection and destruction of the current ones. All espouse revolutionary philosophies that sound very much like communism, but few will come right out and admit to being communist.

There are many unanswered questions regarding where these groups get their funding. The Brown Berets, as part of the Chicano/Aztlan/Reconquista movement, have long had ties to communist groups and funding, but the newer anarchist, Antifa, and “Redneck” groups that have popped up primarily since last November’s election, don’t have those historical connections, but seem to have no trouble coming up with thousands of dollars to provide signs, buses, and travel expenses to get their troops on the ground in various places around the country.

Trump Protesters Leftists Liberals
Banners proclaiming that “America was Never Great,” and “Smash the State” are standard fare for the “Antifa” groups.

Most of the core activists in these Antifa groups are the same black-masked vandals we’ve seen turning peaceful demonstrations violent in big cities around the country for years. Many were also involved in the Occupy protests. Now they are energized by a common enemy – Donald Trump – and anyone who supports him or anything he does. They are actively recruiting disgruntled young millennials at a startling rate. Their core message sounds good, if you don’t think too hard about it, and their philosophy embraces the idea of violent rebellion in a way that has not been seen in this country since the days of the Weather Underground with Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers. Then, as now, the agenda was the destruction of the American capitalist structure. The only difference in the propaganda of today from that of the Weather Underground in the ’60s, is that Dohrn and Ayers openly advocated a classless, communist society as the ultimate goal. Today’s radicals just refer to the goal as a classless society, minus the reference to communism.

As Bob Dylan said in the song that gave the Weather Underground its name, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Better batten down the hatches.

Neal Knox - The Gun Rights War
Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War

About Jeff Knox:

Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox lead many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.

The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition is a project of Neal Knox Associates, Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org

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DONALD

Antifa and Co. are getting their money from Soros and his compatriot organizations that he’s been funding for decades. Following the miney isn’t difficult.

Rich in MO

That video is comedy GOLD ; hilarious! I wasn’t going to watch it but I’m glad I did. 40 then 20 then 6 then 2, who turn and run.I feel somewhat less than “intimidated”.

Peter

@Alan…Did you mean “the mainstream media?” Of course they were unlocking their ammunition storages and handing it out to all those people you see that they used to be aiming front page stories at like “Connecticut slaughter, we must make guns illegal in America!” “Look at the crime rates in ‘X’ country compared to the U.S. and they have outlawed firearms!” The people marching loaded down with firearm ‘overkill’ are the exact same ones that were just a while ago screaming and praying with candles lit in the dark demanding that congress immediately outlaw firearms and go house to house… Read more »

Alan

Poor typing, shame on me. That being said, the question I intended to pose stands as follows. Where Was Media?

Alan

The question Where Was. edia, I believe was posed. Possibly locked in the bathroom, playing with itself?

Hayden the Patriot

The thing is if they met real resistance or actually managed to get themselves into a firefight they’re the kind of people who would 1: Run away as soon as the shooting starts and they realize they can get shot. 2: Not even be carrying real firearms or if they were not be able to operate them or hit anything.

John Dunlap

Wrong. You’re confusing this bunch with the collection of useful idiots and losers who showed up at Occupy, mostly for free beer and weed. What you see here are the true believers, Leftists who cut their teeth on Marxist ideology at their ex-hippie parents’ knee. They’ve been taught to believe that you and your way of life are the enemy of humanity, and right now they’ve been fed the line that an evil, Bourgeoisie capitalist pig and his cronies stole the election and are about to destroy the world. A lot of them are as well trained as you are,… Read more »

BrickHouse

I simply sick of the leftist whining and fit throwing over Trump being President. There’s no thought in their actions. I would back a full Muslim ban, I would support death penalty for human trafficking, thug violence. Trump is focused on the nations safety which he should be. My personal view of the violent left having guns is concerning at least. They have shown themselves as thugs and racist and worse yet, not capable of accepting responsibility for their actions. As far as America never have been great, your not helping anything making life worse and unsafe. America is very… Read more »

Sean Curry Cpt.

These armed protesters are very bad for the image of our sport. Wow!

Janek

That’s the point of all this. They’re probably on Bloomberg’s payroll. Imagine the control possible over a disarmed citizenry. Communism or Fascism always comes ‘full circle’ to the same end – Loss of Freedom! Just ask any Pollock who lived in Poland between 1940 and 1980. First came the Nazis and then came the Russians.

Jeffersonian

Oh, yeah, I see those people all the time at the Civilian Marksmanship Program Garand Matches, or at the Appleseed Project.

John Dunlap

I hate to break it to you, but you probably have seen them.

https://www.theliberalgunclub.com

Here’s somebody in Florida who trains Lefty preppers.

https://www.facebook.com/TheArmedLiberal/?ref=page_internal

Not directly related, but I doubt this bunch went away just because of the bad publicity.

https://conservativebyte.com/2017/02/liberal-fight-club-trains-university-students-to-fight-conservatives/

And a “news” site I’ve started browsing to see what our resident lunatics may be up to next.

https://itsgoingdown.org

I haven’t looked around any of the Darknet forums for some time. That can be a good source of info on what the homegrown anarchists and commies are into at the moment. I’ll have to set aside some time this week.

Bob Bemister

Do they not know they should be wearing blue bandanas?

Darren

I’m getting comments on social media that the commies were carrying airsoft guns not the real thing.

John Dunlap

Some could be, some not. I don’t think the guy with the FN PS90 in the video is carrying airsoft, or the one with the kel Tec(?) shotgun in front of him. Doesn’t matter, the intended threat is conveyed.

Thomas Dissinger

Back to the Tree of Liberty, the rule of law, and the salvation of the nation.

Grim

No hypo racy in any of these responses, just testosterone. Rattle those sabers!

Wild Bill

@hypo racy, I note that you have to have some testosterone first, before one can put some in their written work. How Grim to have none.

alan higgins

who ever was doing that video, if would have kept curing at me like i would have beat you down

Darren

@AH No, better to egg them on to make even bigger fools of themselves. That’s what I did in this video https://youtu.be/WC6BDaxVurU

Briley

I wonder how these folks filled out their 4473 to obtained their firearm (and one guy appears to have a suppressor)? Seems to me that, by their actions and associations, they may, and I repeat may, be in violation of one or more clauses of the various regulations and codes regarding acquiring and possessing firearms. Oh hell, what was I thinking, of course the laws, regulation and codes don’t apply if you are a supporter of Obama or the Demwits. Silly me.

Farmer

Should snowflakes even be allowed to have guns? Did any of them lie on the 4473 about using drugs, having a mental disorder, or criminal record?

RDNK

You can almost bet they lied !

Larry Davis

Notice the red bandana? This aligns them with the old Communist revolutionaries in Europe and Cuba. And once those groups came to power, what did they do besides establish Communist regimes? They banned private possession of firearms; only government and “trusted” individuals retained them. That’s why it took an economic disaster in Europe to end the Soviet bloc and why the Castro regime continues to rule Cuba. They took away all means for the people to resist.

Janek

As these Leftists continue to stage more and more ‘Confidence Building Exercises’ America moves closer to becoming a 3rd World ‘Banana Republic’! That may explain the lack of news coverage. Meanwhile the media will continue to infer that people who lean ‘Right’ are the root cause of America’s social problems.

MBH

If this were Trump supports, it would be the end of the world. And as far as America was never great, they can leave at anytime. These people are really good examples of why America is going South. You don’t like America, then ,get the hell out so American can be great again. What happens when the other side shows up! We are heading to a civil war, just as Obama and Clinton wants!

Gregory Romeu

Ever since the Revolutionary War when Great Britain wanted to suppress us from creating this country and all throughout the history of this nation shows there has been and always will be those that wish to destroy what we have created here.

Although it will never happen because there are more Veterans and patriots in this country that out-match any standing army on the face of the planet.

As to the llist of perpetrators that wish to see our Republic fall? Across the country, the world and even entire countries exist that don’t want to see the United States survive.

Jeffrey Stewart

I signed a blank check, and took an oath that I would stand up, and defend the rights of these folks to march around carrying whatever kinds of weapons make them happy. They can scream and yell any message they want, and again, I will fight to my last breath to make sure they have that opportunity. The very second, they go beyond those enumerated rights, and infringe upon the rights of others, I will join others in bringing to bear, more than reasonable force to put them back into check. While a great deal of these folks appear to… Read more »

Jeff

Right on!!! Those are the ducks,decoys they hope “we” will shoot at. However if they start it?

BLAMMO

In places like Oakland and Berkeley, these people show up with pepper spray, stun guns, condoms filled with urine and feces, etc. They want to provoke a disproportionate response to their “pseudo” violence.

If you’re at a rally and people start showing up in black with backpacks, call 911 and start recording them (their faces) before they don their bandanas and balaclavas.

John Dunlap

I never served, never took the oath, but I will stand with those who did should it come to that. It probably won’t go down that way though. If you want a good preview of what we’re in for, read “Guerrilla Warfare” by Ernesto “Che” Guevara (he was actually Basque-Irish, by the way. There was quite a brawl in Galway when the city council tried to erect a statue of him a few years ago. Don’t know how that turned out). Study the tactics of groups like the IRA and Hamas. Read up on the Weathermen. We aren’t going to… Read more »

Wild Bill

@John Dunlap Dunlap, If you are alluding to a future revolution, then “… move(ing) the factory into the home.” is an insufficient logistical system to support a rebellion.
Che Guevara was a tactical idiot who let himself run out of food and get surrounded. He was executed the next day. We will not be doing things his way. I think that you should forget the revolution and work on the next generation and support the politicians of your choice.

John Dunlap

I knew there’d be blowback from that comment (sigh). OK, here we go. I didn’t mean for you to read Che as some sort of primer on how to be a revolutionary; I suggested it as a good source of insight into how these people think. Know your enemy. If you want to get creeped out on a whole ‘nother level, check out some of Zbigniew Brzezinski’s work, or that of Hans Schellnhuber. Moving the factory into the home (an over simplification) is not in support of a rebellion; it IS the rebellion, and it’s already happening, but only piecemeal… Read more »

Wild Bill

@John Dunlap Dunlap, Hmmm, I will have to think about that, but thank you for having made a clearer statement.

Wild Bill

@Jrogersp Stewart, Thank you for your service. As to fighting to your last breath… how about we fight to their last breath.

Old 1811

Where was President Trump during this protest? In the Obama protest, the open carriers were apparently near the venue where Obama was speaking. This makes the Secret Service very nervous, no matter who the President is, and probably is more newsworthy than a bunch of open carriers marching and yelling when the President is 2000 miles away. And as for the protestors themselves, they have the same rights that you and I do. As long as they’re not prohibited persons and don’t violate the law at this particular protest, what they did or will do at other protests is irrelevant.… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Old 1811, So based upon his tearful loyalty to the agency, the agent was immediately promoted to supervision?

John Dunlap

I believe the author was simply pointing out the now well known so called mainstream media’s habit of selective reporting. As I recall, there was an assassination threat leveled against Barak Obama, which turned out to be much ado about nothing. There were also several, more credible threats made against George W. Bush, and even a movie depicting his fictional assassination. However, while the MSM trumpeted the former to the heavens, the latter was barely reported at all. The pattern is repeating here. I of course agree with you that even the village idiot possesses the same rights as everyone… Read more »

Mark Carpenter

Another fine group of Soros funded folks no doubt. For the most part I agree with you. However, IMHO, it’s one thing to be a protester protesting someone like Trump, it’s quite another to be anarchists or enemies of the state. They should be disarmed and not allowed to possess any type of firearm. There’s a huge difference between the gun-toting right that love this country and would die fighting for it and the gun-toting left that hate this country and would only be willing to die for the destruction of it.

Ryan Ellis

I love how everyone keeps painting the right as a homogenous group of patriots that would “die for this country”. Just please stop already. A large portion are good people and a large people are not. I heard a group of these “patriots” at work discussing their desire to murder Muslims (here in the U.S.) because they know in their heart of hearts just how dangerous they ALL are. These aren’t uneducated backwards buffoons we are talking about. I work in corporate America and one of these gentleman is a Ph.D. level engineer. Goes to show all the schooling in… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Ryan Ellis, How does one keep ” painting a right as a … group…” That makes no sense. And if “These aren’t uneducated backwards buffoons that we [ed. you] are talking [ed. writing] about.” then just maybe you should consider their opinions. Maybe if these are educated, knowledgeable people and their opinion is the opposite of yours, then you are the one with the wrong conclusion. I think that you should examine your own biases.
I also note from your writing that you are not a supporter of the First Amendment.

Ryan Ellis

Hmmm, several things here. Firstly, just FYI my response was not meant to be under this specific comment. It was meant to be a standalone comment in response a repeating theme that I have heard and that is most certainly present on this thread. Conservative gunowners = responsible patriots/ Liberals gunowners = anarchist. Who is to say that I am not considering their opinions? Were you aware that you can “consider” many opinions with no obligation to agree with them? Do you think that everyone who cannot be characterized as an “uneducated backwards buffoon” is on the same accord in… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Ryan Ellis, Your words hold no water either. “uneducated backwards buffoon” are your words not mine. The pathetic painting analogy is also your words. And finally, you ask, “Is my brush not wide enough for you? What size do you use?” think that you have reduced the analogy to the absurd.
The professional engineers that I know think logically. You must be a choo choo train engineer.

Ryan

@Dan/ Uninformed III
I have grown weary of your buffoonery. Please feel free to pick up a book should you wish someday seek edification.

All the best,
Ryan

DAN III

Ryan,

So tell me, how many of your beloved, invading moslems have you invited to dwell in your abode ? Of course in that liberal mentality of yours not all NAZIS were bad, eh ?

Ryan Ellis

Well I am currently in my 30s. Thus far zero of the many Muslims that I have known, be it intimately or just in passing, have ever waged Jihad on me. How many have I invited into my house? Several, I don’t actually keep track believe it or not. I was recently invited to stay with one at his home in South Carolina while visiting family. I thank my Uncle Mohammed very much for fighting back his natural urges to strike down infidels and allow me to spend time in his home murder-free. In any event I leave you to… Read more »

DAN III

Ellis,

If there is one who is ignorant here, it is you. In your, ahem, wisdom, perhaps you should open your dhimmi eyes to jihad by invasion of Western Europe by your beloved moslems.

You are not only ignorant but, you are willfully ignorant. You are truly foolish. Now, invite your moslem betters to live with you. No visits. Live with them….under your (soon to be their roof).

BTW….tell me how many acts of terrorism since 2001 have been committed in the West by Christians and Jews ? You emasculated white boys are inviting your own demise.

John Dunlap

This is a full display of my reasons for believing, though I still try to remain hopeful, that the sociopolitical cancer has become too deeply embedded to avoid a violent solution. The difference between the two sides should be obvious now. Conservatives and patriots will never resort to arms except as a last resort, and even then only in response to physical attack. The demented ideology of the Left allows for no such compunction. In their world, the end justifies the means. While open carry protests on the Right are meant to showcase the rights of the law abiding citizen,… Read more »

Gregory Romeu

And should these, “protesters” utilize those arms against innocent citizens and commit any type of felonious crime, each and every dime and dollar paid in to support these individuals are all guilty of whatever high crime(s) committed.

This is a prime situation as to where Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and the various state militias will stand ready to support and protect the innocent citizens in the area and even the police departments and all other agencies that may have get involved should any violence break-out.

Clark Kent

Fugggitabout any ‘oaf keeper’ supporting the police; instead the police will be the ones saving their sorry azzes. The police need those wanna-be clowns like a tire needs a nail.

Gregory Romeu

Clark Kent, (Forgive me, I have to compose myself after mentioning your name and fighting the image in my head of your mommy washing your cape with Downy softener.) But I do realize how hard it is for you to grasp a situation where a man or a woman steps up to the plate and takes an oath that accepts the duty to defend and protect the very Constitution that protects you from people stripping your Liberties and freedoms from you. I also understand that you don’t have the backbone to step up to the plate into a position to… Read more »

Farmer

I think you scared the little cupcake away …. good response Greg! 27 yrs – now retired – never cancelled my oath.

Wild Bill

Oh…Clark, you do your credibility a great disservice when you write things like that. One can respect a thoughtful opponent, but this is most disappointing of you.

Frank Vassey

One thing Superfreak, Don’t forget, Most of the Oath keepers are military or retired military and
the same goes for the Police. For the most part are well trained in the use of weapons of all kinds. They would hand you your ass on a platter!! Go back to your momma’s and hide!