Tea-Baggers Clash With Counter-Protesters in DC
Tommy Christopher
Contributor
Posted:
04/15/09
At today's Washington, DC Tax Day Tea Party, a confrontation between Tea P
artiers and a small group of counter-protesters escalated to pushing and shoving before organizers stepped in to quell the disturbance.
Alex Lawson led a group of 5 in a bit of protest performance art. Dressed as billionaires and carrying signs thanking working people for carrying their tax burdens, they stood close to the stage in Lafayette Park, holding their signs aloft.
I was there trying to get some shots from the stage, but the crush of the crowd made it impossible. When a man behind me asked if a woman could lower her sign, she replied that she was "blocking Acorn signs."
I made my way over to Alex's group, who were not affiliated with any organization, and began shooting video. The crowd around them began shouting, demanding that they lower their signs.
Very shortly, the crowd began snatching their signs, and pushing and shoving them. After a few tense momen
ts, Tea Party organizer Rebecca Wales began yelling at the crowd to give the signs back, and managed to calm the situation.
No-one was injured in the incident, and Alex's group made their way peacefully out of the crowd. Several minutes later, while being interviewed by a documentary crew, Alex's group was menaced by a man in the crowd, who shouted, "When was the last time you had your ass kicked?" Another man yelled, at the two young women in Alex's group, "How much for the hookers?"
I interviewed Alex later, and he said that the man who had yelled at them then continued to follow them, attempting to physically restrain their movements, until Alex threatened to get the police.
The video from the incident will be available soon.
The protest was a generally peaceful one, save these incidents and the one I reported earlier. It was extremely crowded in Lafayette Park, and the rain was very heavy at times.
artiers and a small group of counter-protesters escalated to pushing and shoving before organizers stepped in to quell the disturbance.Alex Lawson led a group of 5 in a bit of protest performance art. Dressed as billionaires and carrying signs thanking working people for carrying their tax burdens, they stood close to the stage in Lafayette Park, holding their signs aloft.
I was there trying to get some shots from the stage, but the crush of the crowd made it impossible. When a man behind me asked if a woman could lower her sign, she replied that she was "blocking Acorn signs."
I made my way over to Alex's group, who were not affiliated with any organization, and began shooting video. The crowd around them began shouting, demanding that they lower their signs.
Very shortly, the crowd began snatching their signs, and pushing and shoving them. After a few tense momen
ts, Tea Party organizer Rebecca Wales began yelling at the crowd to give the signs back, and managed to calm the situation.No-one was injured in the incident, and Alex's group made their way peacefully out of the crowd. Several minutes later, while being interviewed by a documentary crew, Alex's group was menaced by a man in the crowd, who shouted, "When was the last time you had your ass kicked?" Another man yelled, at the two young women in Alex's group, "How much for the hookers?"
I interviewed Alex later, and he said that the man who had yelled at them then continued to follow them, attempting to physically restrain their movements, until Alex threatened to get the police.
The video from the incident will be available soon.
The protest was a generally peaceful one, save these incidents and the one I reported earlier. It was extremely crowded in Lafayette Park, and the rain was very heavy at times.
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