Black Lives Matter organisers have taken to using white people marching with them as human shields to separate themselves from police.
Video out of Rochester, New York, shows organisers demanding that white people form a front line between black protesters and the police.
“If you’re white and you got a shield, you need to be making a perimeter from whatever this street is to whatever that street is. If you are black, stay in the middle,” an organiser with a megaphone is heard ordering in the footage.
“White shields! White shields make a circle!” another person demands.
https://twitter.com/KittyLists/status/1302422398738685952
https://twitter.com/wanderingsoundr/status/1302425813997023232
https://twitter.com/IsItTimeForA/status/1302460170753118209
https://twitter.com/ol_ironsight/status/1302423915659173889
What if you’re mixed? Do you get to pick where you go?
— Mike Hunt716912 (@mike_hunt716912) September 6, 2020
The tactics have also been witnessed in Portland, among other places:
The shield line moving forward towards the police, prompting them to declare a riot minutes later #Portland #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/xk0PrFvUaH
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 22, 2020
Front line wall of shields and umbrellas at the Portland Police Bureau #Portland #PortlandProtests pic.twitter.com/Be6aHBE4Lu
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) August 22, 2020
The idea is that police are less likely to respond with force against white people, and if they do… well, whitey takes the beating so it’s ok.
Rochester was the site of more rioting this past weekend:
#HappeningNow the protesters in Rochester NY are "shutting down restaurants", tables are broken, people running off scared #rochesterprotests pic.twitter.com/oxmlZp526w
— Oliya Scootercaster ? (@ScooterCasterNY) September 5, 2020
Black Lives Matter rioters try to break into apartment buildings. https://t.co/xcEb6fns9F
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 5, 2020
BLM rioters in Rochester, N.Y. set a bus stop on fire earlier tonight. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/cvKO8L3SBj
— Andy Ngô ???? (@MrAndyNgo) September 5, 2020
Black Lives Matter rioters in Rochester are now launching fireworks attacks on police. https://t.co/cY7XSLz2C7
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 5, 2020
further footage revealed one agitator declaring that the violence should be directed more “toward the white folks”:
https://twitter.com/selfdeclaredref/status/1302090049593503745
