Texas Knows How to Handle Armed Protesters

[MineralMan]

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/05/07/arrests-swat-team-armed-protesters-texas-bar-owner-reopens/

In Odessa, TX, a woman who owns a bar decided to "OPEN" in the face of a prohibition of bars being open in that state. Apparently, her decision inspired a group of gun-toters to show up and support her decision by parading around in their "tactical" gear and carrying their firearms.

Not so fast, boys! Someone called the cops, and the SWAT team showed up. They're armed, too, apparently. They gave the order, and the Proud Boys doing the protesting laid down their arms and put their hands behind their backs to be arrested. They apparently weren't in the mood for a shootout with a SWAT team.




You can see a video of this at the link above.

It seems to me that the approach taken by the police in that town is the appropriate one for such armed protesters who are protesting protective measure to limit the spread of COVID-19. The overgrown boys doing the protesting don't really seem to be that committed to their cause.

Just send out the SWAT team and let them disarm the morons and arrest them for whatever laws they're breaking. Some are probably convicted felons who aren't even allowed to possess firearms. Do this in a few cases and publicize it, and maybe the Proud Boys will reconsider their protests. They don't appear to really be brave men with guns. They don't really appear to be much of anything but a rabble in the first place.

That'd be great!

[3Hotdogs]

1. Fuck me, but the real heroes are the Proud Boys carrying wooden guns

and plastic rocket launchers.

They aren't afraid to face real guns in defense of their liberties.












Do ya really need a sarcasm?

[MineralMan]

3. Such fake weapons are like carrying a toy pistol with a plastic orange piece

at the end of the barrel. They are part of a costume, making the carriers little more than cosplay girls in Japan.

[Ferrets are Cool]

25. Hey, I got to take up for those

cosplayers now.

[soldierant]

55. Those cosplayers

know how to research, and they know how to biuild costumes, and they know how to work at it, and it shows. Whay would anyone use them as icons of ignorance? Frivolous, maybe. Ignorant, not so much.

[Brainfodder]

5. Ya had me for .001 secs! DAMN IT!

[PatSeg]

10. Fake guns are really dangerous

Carrying them is a good way to get shot by police who have been known to shoot people for using a cell phone.

[Harker]

18. Or for moving suddenly or unexpectedly...

or for just moving at all.

[marble falls]

21. Or even just holding one.

[Ligyron]

24. Or being the wrong color...

[marble falls]

28. Especially. In fact you don't have to be holding anything at all.

[Harker]

32. That's what I had meant to imply earlier.

Having a firearm or a cellphone aren't needed in order to be shot.

[PatSeg]

42. And never, never touch your waistband

Evidently there is something really dangerous about waistbands.

[Harker]

44. Clearly a big favorite.

It's also clear that one can be lying on the floor, both hands in plain view, crying and begging not to be shot... and still get shot.

[PatSeg]

66. And on their stomach

A real threat, no doubt.

[PatSeg]

41. Oh definitely if the wrong color

Even in the back.

As for anyone tempted to brandish about any weapons, they should consider that they don't know what kind of cops they will encounter or what kind of mood they are in. You could be the last straw on a really bad shift.

[Traildogbob]

58. Or if you're a black kid in a park.

[PatSeg]

67. Oh god

That one was more heartbreaking than most. That cop didn't hesitate for a second. Jumped out of his car and shot that poor kid. How on earth do you live with yourself after shooting a kid? As a mother, I can't imagine what these kids' mothers go through everyday when their children are out of the house.

[tazkcmo]

77. How to live with yourself after shooting a kid

Believe the kid is only 3/5 human.

[PatSeg]

78. Yeah

And that calls to question the actual humanity of any cop who can shoot a kid without hesitation. I wouldn't even give him as much as 3/5 human.

[Downtown Hound]

2. The SWAT team showed up in an MRAP with a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on it

A vehicle specifically designed to withstand IED strikes in Iraq. It's built like a tank within a tank. The minute the idiots saw that, they threw down their guns and surrendered. Their puny little AR-15's would have bounced off of it like nerf balls. Which pretty much backs up everything we liberals have always said about them: they like to talk big, but ultimately, they have no stomach for real civil war. And they also don't stand a chance. They have no armored vehicles, no air support, no artillery, no anti-armor, and only limited small arms. A real military would make mincemeat of them in minutes.

Which means that we've allowed them to turn our streets and our schools into killing zones for NOTHING. They have neither the stomach nor the capability of defending anybody from "government tyranny."

[MineralMan]

6. Displaying firearms in an intimidating way should be a felony.

They inspire terror in the population, making their carriers terrorists.

However, when the SWAT team shows up, all of that Proud Boy bravado is abandoned instantly. They are cowards, really, using their weapons only to intimidate. When push comes to shove, their hands are in the air, and then behind their backs to be cuffed.

Silly Little Boys!

[iluvtennis]

15. + agree MineralMan, their goal is to inspire terror in people.

These folks are domestic terrorists.

definition of terrorism: the unlawful use of intimidation and/or violence, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.

[eggplant]

63. I think it varies by juridiction, but see "brandishing".

It covers this exact thing, although convincing a jury...

[sarisataka]

9. Armor and heavy machine guns

That's what police everywhere across the country need.

When there are protestors getting out of hand and crossing the line the cops can roll out the tanks and put them back in order. The people need to remember protests must but peaceful. If they can't keep peaceful there will be consequences.

I'm sure the military has lots of extra vehicles and weapons they are not using. Why not give it to the police to help maintain civil order?

[SCantiGOP]

14. They all have it

There was a program started in Bush Admin to let police forces buy excess military gear and equipment.
My suburban county got some kind of heavily armored vehicle like you would see in urban battles at the height of the Iraq war. They caught so much crap after they parked it at a Country Music festival with about 1,500 attendees that the County Council votes to return it.
Sheriff tried to argue that he needed it in case of a large scale insurrection. Like what could happen if they ran out of nachos at the Hillbilly festival.

[sarisataka]

45. I do recall that program

And also recall a time when DU was against it. I believe it was way back in 2019 that people believed the police were over armed and that they had no need for military equipment. It was said back then such vehicles and weapons belonged on the battlefield, not US streets.

It was also put forth that arming police with machine guns was excessive. Although I do not believe for a millisecond that the Texas police actually had a .50 cal machine gun mounted on their vehicle.

[GoneOffShore]

17. No, they just need to take lessons from the CRS and GN lads

Or even the Police Municipale.

[sarisataka]

46. We have seen US police act in similar fashion

I wonder what the person was wanted for?

[GoneOffShore]

47. Either a Gilet Jaune or a Black Bloc 'casseur' i.e. anarchist vandal.

[LanternWaste]

54. Yoo quite accurately described Tiananmen Square

You may want to place relevant qualifiers in your rather wide-open premise rather than relying on ablative absolutes...

[sarisataka]

69. Just a visceral response

To a post on the internet.

[47of74]

75. I'd be careful with just opening the spigot

Because these weapons would likely be used against the kind of people Branch Trumpvidians want to see hurt and not armed domestic terrorists like we saw in Michigan.

There are plenty of kluxers in law enforcement who want to put minorities “in their place” and would love to do so with heavy military equipment.

[AllaN01Bear]

30. this

and everything you said.

[roamer65]

4. All fun and games for these freaks until the black helicopters show up.

[MineralMan]

7. Or just some overweight deputies.

The Proud Boys are not Brave Boys. They are simply Armed Boys.

[roamer65]

8. THIS.

[quickesst]

11. Cowards

This is a microcosm of what will happen to any so-called armed rebellion by trumpers or anyone else. Just as in this case, they will fold like a bad deck of cards.

[gordianot]

22. I think it more of a case being massively ignorant.

There are quite a few right right wing terrorist in prison that bought into Trump and his line of BS. When the take the leap get arrested sent to prison they are promptly abandoned and forgotten if they are not already dead.

[quickesst]

34. you are right....

.... but in my opinion, they are also cowards. Just as in the case of the OP, when confronted with an equal or greater force you will see who they truly are.

[SCantiGOP]

12. So which is it, Boys

“Blue lives matter, never arrest cops for shooting disobedient black agitators” or “The fascist police are arresting us for lawful protesting”?

[argyl]

13. I noticed that at the protest in Austin there weren't any gun toting idiots there.

[Progressive Jones]

20. Some of them in Austin might be aware that there are actually armed, angry, trained Liberals. nt

[keithbvadu2]

16. Does 'armed' include bullets?

It is somewhat vague because sometimes these tough guys are just brandishing their weapons in intimidation.
The inclusion of bullets sometimes makes the difference of legal protest or not.
The police would have to figure the tough guys are fully armed and confront them accordingly.

That part about bullets is seldom addressed.

[marble falls]

36. Maybe they're filling their clip belts with pop-tarts?

[keithbvadu2]

40. Yep. That's about as much information as we get from the participants.

Yep. That's about as much information as we get from the participants.

[progressoid]

19. Texas Knows How to Handle Armed *WHITE* Protesters

[47of74]

74. No shit. If they were minorities the fuzz would have just opened fire

When they handle minority protesters with the same level of discretion then I’ll say Texas knows how to handle them.

[ironflange]

23. Tuff guys!

[ooky]

26. These morons who dress up in fatigues are nothing more than immature chickenshits.

A collection of stupid people.

[marble falls]

37. Thought the mook in the banlon shirt and bermudas was nice touch.

[calimary]

27. Awwwwww... they all look SOOOOO "tough"!

Actually, they look good in that pose. Hands up, surrounded by the police who are about to take them into fucking CUSTODY!

[Fla Dem]

29. Yep, that's how you handle them. And confiscate their guns.

[BrightKnight]

43. Well, it's a felony charge and I don't think you can cary with that.

[marble falls]

48. Unfortunately this is Texas and a county judge can fix that IF no one was hurt, no shots were fired.

Six or eight weeks after the divorce, my father took a few shots with .380 at a car my mom and a male neighbor from high school and were in. He got arrested in the parking lot of a police station he'd followed them into. Three months in county and all the judge said - "Next marriage take care of business at home."

When he got out they gave him the pistol back.

Who you are, who know and who your lawyer is makes a huge difference.

I would not be surprised at all if in the end if its all reduced to disorderly and suspended sentences. I think it'll all hinge on who owns the bar and if somebody's son was arrested. They'll probably get their weapons back unless the Sheriff takes a hankering to some.

Welcome to Texas, where cowboys drink beer and throw the bottles.

[RT Atlanta]

31. Calling the police should be done each/every time those gun-nuts parade around like this

I would feel in imminent fear of immediate bodily harm and this is the way to get this in check IMO.

When I was at a target in Atlanta last year, there was this old white dude (note: he'd have fit in well with the folks in the pic) that was just walking around merrily shopping with a goddamned pistol strapped to his hip since GA is an 'open carry' (read: "a declaration that I have a small penis and black guys scare me&quot . I felt threatened and got the manager involved telling her how threatened I felt with my kids with me (because I did feel that way).

Fucking gun assholes - so glad to read about this.

[BrightKnight]

33. Having a gun at a bar in TX in a felony.

Last edited Sun May 10, 2020, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

You do not want to violate the few gun laws that TX has. Also, I think it makes the punishment for any other crime much worse. Committing ANY crime with a gun in TX is a very bad idea.

[marble falls]

50. IF they stayed in parking lot, IF they weren't lit, IF nobody fired off a weapon ...

they may not be in too tight a jam. Particularly if the right last names were in the mix.

From the story:

The bar owner says she spoke with the Sheriff’s Office prior to the protest and that they told her everything would be fine as long as men with guns are not seen on the property. Out of respect for law enforcement, she says she confined the men to an area in the back, which is her private property.

According to the Odessa American, six men carrying assault rifles were arrested and charged with felony unlawfully carrying a weapon on a licensed premise and a bystander was arrested for interfering with the duties of a peace officer.

Ellison was arrested and charged with violation of emergency management plan. She was later released on a $500 bond.


Personally I think they ought to be disarmed and their homes searched and their weapons melted. But that won't happen.

[Aristus]

35. This is an interesting development.

Especially in light of the fact that the official state dance of Texas is prancing around with a loaded weapon.

I prefer the Cotton-Eyed Joe, myself. But the NRA won't subsidize it...

[Ligyron]

38. So, the bar is a double wide trailer??

Figures...

Because you know what people like this have in common with tornadoes?

Sooner or later they both end up in trailer parks.

[Leith]

39. GOOD!

I read a thread here about how armed thugs are "protesting" a grocery store and threatening employees who request that they wear masks. For some strange, damn reason, the grocery store stayed open which, IMNSHO, was absolutely wrong.

It is wonderful to hear that these criminal terrorists get what they deserve.

[BobTheSubgenius]

49. This happened in Texas???

Isn`t `He needed killin` still a valid defense in Texas?

Oh, yeah. Not to mention...they are very fine people.

[jmowreader]

52. That defense hasn't worked in a while

“Yer Honor, I was skeert for my life” still does the trick.

[bucolic_frolic]

51. The modern equivalent of gangsters

[noneof_theabove]

53. MAGAT dispersal unit

does a good job.
rip of a chain of blanks and get on the loudspeaker that live ammo in next
watch them crap their titty-whities running for the woods

[BrightKnight]

56. Lol - No, just play Ride of the Valkyries on the loud speaker. nt

[marlakay]

57. My husband who likes the show cops

Wants to see that episode.

[joewicker_TX]

59. I live in Odessa

These idiots staged a protest at the sheriff's house....buuuut it was the wrong house 🤣🤣🤣. On a more serious note, these "responsible gun owners" are now making anonymous threats against law enforcement and threatening to "shoot up the city" if the charges aren't dropped. Typical West Odessa douchebaggery. And FYI its a shit hole bar that caters to meth heads 🙄🙄🙄

[MineralMan]

60. Keep us updated OK?

[joewicker_TX]

61. Will do. This is a nightly news story now 🤦‍♂️

[47of74]

76. These reich wingers only love law enforcement when it suits them

Such as when some kluxer in a police uniform uses excessive force against an unarmed minority.

When the boot is on the other foot not so much.

[The Wizard]

62. Trump's Brownshirt Terrorist Army

folded like a cheap suit. I wonder how they'd react to an artillery barrage.

[McCamy Taylor]

64. You cannot carry arms in a bar in Texas.

[NBachers]

65. The Surrender Monkeys shit their pants, held up a white flag, & betrayed their beloved 2nd Amendment

[Marcuse]

68. They surrendered faster than Robert E. Lee.

[Ahpook]

70. Stupid fucks

Stop playing GI Joe as overgrown children

[Upthevibe]

71. Kick....n/t

[rownesheck]

72. Oh man!

I'm glad I read this! This totally made my day!!!

[Cha]

73. Yay on Odessa, Texas SWAT TEAM!!