The Kalispell Police Department shared a similar message on Wednesday: "We have been contacted by several citizens groups desiring to protect the Kalispell Community relating to outside groups coming to the area to agitate otherwise peaceful demonstrations. Rich Landini holds two peace signs in the air during the peace protest in Missoula on Saturday. Protesters chanted in concurrence with. The origin of the rumor that busloads of antifa activists are coming to small towns and cities is still unclear, but armed people showing up at demonstrations such as the one in Missoula worry protesters such as Erin Giefer. Justin and his buddies look like they're from a special ops team: They're wearing military-style vests and carrying rifles and pistols. The gallery is for observing only, Regier said. "The presence of guns and people who have a military get-up and camo swarming the area makes me feel unsafe," she says. Both assert the movement is behind the violence at rallies across the country, and Trump threatened to list antifa as a domestic terrorist organization. We have the next word," Tranel said. Missoula hasn't seen any rioting or looting associated with a week's worth of protests, but if some people incite violence, the men plan to enter the crowd and grab them. (KPAX) As protests continue in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd, in Missoula, protesters took to the County Courthouse lawn for a round of speakers and the opportunity to break into song. He declined to give his name. At least five law enforcement officers in riot gear eventually used batons to forcibly push people out of the gallery. Its about controlling women. Learn about MPD's response to sexual assaults - Missoula, MT Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. Many left filming the scene with their phones. By Appointment: Wednesday: 10:00am - 4:30pm (Call 406-258-3363 to book an appointment) Standing for peace. The protesters eventually left the courthouse lawn and marched towards Higgins Avenue, where the crowd spilled off of sidewalks and into the street, blocking traffic across Higgins and Broadway Street for approximately fifteen minutes. Officers detained more people after they cleared the room. "You also have a right-wing media ecosystem that is pushing this narrative," Donovan says. But what could have escalated into confrontation and violence prompted a conversation, and that conversation resulted in what Black Lives Matter protest leaders described as an agreement based on cooperation and mutual respect.. It falls to the hands of the citizens to uphold the Constitution in most cases, the man with the rifle said. "You need to care!" For weeks, demonstrators have gathered impromptu at the Missoula County Courthouse to protest racial injustice and the killing of George Floyd. These decisions, at their core, belong to the People not judges.. While the Supreme Court races and other political contests on the ballot were mentioned during the Sunday protest in Missoula, many attendees and speakers used the event to express solidarity with one another, rage at the changing abortion landscape nationwide, and, ultimately, a desire to have authority over their reproductive choices. The [U.S.] Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion to where it belongs: the People. The stream of traffic on the bridge, though, let out irregular honks from car horns in support. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. There was certainly somefriction on Tuesdaywhen several people, all white, first arrived waving Trump flags, "Don't Tread on Me" flags andat least a couple of Confederate flags. Carla Lewis, whose two sons have been open carrying at the courthouse, said her group did not not identify as militia, but as concerned citizens whose goals are focused on protecting people and businesses downtown. Vaccines are administered at our Immunization Clinic located in downtown Missoula at 301 W. Alder St. Current clinic hours are as follows: Walk-In (No appointment necessary): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm. I feel like it's my responsibility to be here.". Jan. 19: "No hate in our state" Facing bitter January temperatures, an estimated 500 people gathered in Missoula on a Sunday afternoon to join dozens of other marches across the country in protest of President Donald Trump's executive order suspending refugee admission into the U.S. Demonstrators and officials hope their actions will help raise awareness to the protests and divisions that continue across the country. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. "Antifa operates as a designation similar to the way someone might describe themselves as a punk rocker," Donovan says. ", Calvin (right), who wouldn't give his last name, citing safety, says he's concerned about rumors of antifa activists coming to Missoula. They say they're there to keep things peaceful. The new testing site is part of a push to test more people for COVID-19 . Missoula protest over death of George Floyd enters 5th day - KPAX News BILLINGS People lined a portion of King Avenue West in Billings on Sunday to rally in opposition of a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers and employees of any company with. Blair Miller (Daily Montanan) Law enforcement officers from three agencies detained several people Monday after protesting in the gallery of the Montana House against the Republican Speaker's silencing of Missoula Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr. We'll check with you about emergency and non-emergency medical attention. Pickups that once carried the Confederate flag were now parked in front of the protesters, at the protesters' request, as a barrier against any perceived threats. One man, Jay Mattson, told MTN News that he's been out here almost everyday, because he feels this is the way to make a change. Calvin (right), who wouldn't give his last name, citing safety, says he's concerned about rumors of antifa activists coming to Missoula. CNN Hours after seven people were arrested Monday for their protests of Montana House Republicans' silencing of a transgender lawmaker, those who had been arrested joined Rep. Zooey Zephyr. Theyre saying it offends them because it represents slavery. War creates damages for so many people indirectly and directly worldwide, said Jacqueline Flewellen, executive director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center. "When I know I can only walk through the street with one of them, it scares me," she said. While their own views dont align with the Black Lives Matter demonstration, they said they came seeking peace. Kim, a policy associate with the ACLU of Montana, said the dozens of people who protested Monday felt represented by Zephyr. Highs and Lows boasts highlights from years worth of collaborative pieces made by six Missoula artists during regular drawing hangout sessions. MISSOULA Tensions ran high when a group of young men showed up at a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Missoula waving Trump banners and the confederate flag, rifles slung over their shoulders. So to those of you who are joining us for the first time, welcome to the battlefield, she said. Judges in Montana are elected officials. Photos: Rep. Zooey Zephyr banned after arrests and protests at State Editors note: This story was updated June 27 to correct the spelling of SusanWicklundFund. Protesters rally for abortion rights in front of the Missoula County Courthouse on June 26, 2022. Protesters for Black Lives Matter gather in Missoula for the eighth day President Joe Biden already has suggested that a woman's right to choose is on the ballot in November. We don't agree with what happened, and that cop needs to do time.". "What if somebody does shoot, or one of these cars backfire and then someone starts shooting. Similar events have also been held in Great Falls, Billings, Helena, and Bozeman over the last several days. A speaker addressing a Missoula rally in response to the death of George Floyd, a black Minnesota man who died in police custody, on May 29, 2020. Zephyr, who is Montanas first openly transgender lawmaker, has tried multiple times over the past week to speak on the floor about bills involving the LGBTQ+ community and housing but has been denied by rulings from Regier and votes from most House Republicans. No shouting. All of the events have been peaceful, with no arrests or damage. NPR has reviewed court documents of 51 individuals facing federal charges in connection with the unrest. You can watch that video here. Jay Mattson, a young African American who has been protesting for days, said the flag didnt bother him. Kaliyah Horvath, a 19 year-old African American woman, said she feels her generation is making a change and her movement has allies. "May first is our official event," he said. As more people started to chant, the several Montana Highway Patrol, Helena Police Department and Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office officers that were stationed around the House for the floor session started to try to quiet the protesters. The Missoula demonstrations have continued and are now in their sixth day. A lot of cops and elected officials forget their oath.. They need to put their guns down. ", "I wanted to get involved and see where my food came from and just see the whole entire process from breeding to watching em birth, watching . Missoula protest cancelled, Bozeman protest . Missoula protesters call for diplomacy in Russia-Ukraine crisis When Ward and other speakers finished, those with firearms joined a Black Lives Matter chant. While abortion remains legal in Montana under an 1999 state Supreme Court ruling, nine states enacted all-out bans on abortion procedures almost immediately, with a handful of others likely to soon follow suit. It means that were having a conversation, and were getting together and putting differences aside and talking," said Ward Wilson, one of the people of color who has been organizing the demonstrations at the courthouse for several days running. A Lewis and Clark County sheriffs deputy said eight people were inside the jail awaiting booking for criminal trespassing around 5:30 p.m., Monday. A few organizers and protesters have said they welcome offers of protection. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Health Street provides DNA, paternity, drug and alcohol testing in Missoula, MT at our centrally located testing center. Missoula rallies for reproductive rights over restrictive abortion laws This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado and KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. But when pressed, the young man expressed frustration with the protesters and some aspects of their political message. Missoula announces by appointment drive-thru COVID-19 testing - KECI A lot of people are now hearing our voices and hearing our message, she said, saying the armed contingent hadnt come to provide security but rather to intimidate. We were there to support Zooey and use our voice, said Chloe Runs Behind, an organizer with Forward Montana. "There's just so much going on in the world today, it's really hard to know," he said. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe on Friday, some Montana Republicans who oppose abortion have called for the Montana Supreme Court to reverse the Armstrong ruling, which is facing a pending legal challenge as a result of a package of abortion restrictions the Republican-majority Legislature passed in 2021. This decision, after 50 years of precedent, stripped women of their right to an abortion. The changing landscape is a simultaneous long-sought win for advocates who see abortion as an immoral act and a devastating loss for people who believe abortion access is essential to reproductive autonomy. Missoulians turn out in numbers to protest overturning of Roe The local protest, which drew some 30 people, was put together by long-standing groups: the Peace Center, the Women in Black, who have been out with signs every Friday at lunchtime for two decades; and the local chapter of Veterans for Peace, whose members also turn out for those weekly events. Demonstrators, some armed citizens join forces on courthouse lawn "I see myself as a concerned citizen who happens to be armed," he says. Montana legislature drama continues after protests and arrests - CNN Lewis said she doesn't want their group to overtake the message by protesters, and she respects the Black Lives Matter conversation that's happening right now because of Floyd's killing. Horvath hadn't been able to make last week's Missoula protest over Floyd's death, so she and her friend Kenzie Woods decided to set up another one in front of the Missoula County Courthouse.
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