A White Lives Matter protest turned violent Saturday morning in Austin, Texas. The group of protesters expressed outrage over Liberal policies they say favor minorities.
Racial Tensions
According to their Facebook page, 27 showed up to repeal what they view to be liberal policies. One post referenced Criminal Procedure Code 42.014 and Penal Code 12.47. Code 42.014 states the judge can order a person to take a tolerance class, and 12.47 allows race-related crimes harsher punishment.
“We feel that the hate crime law is unfairly and unjustly applied to white folk, white people, as opposed to minorities. We’re asking for equal application of the law.”
https://twitter.com/Cristo8444/status/800242583767134208
To their 27, several hundred other people showed up holding Black Lives Matter signs. The two sides protested for several hours.
White lives matter & black lives matter protesters marching in Downtown Austin. pic.twitter.com/aInko2m6a3
— Kristie Gonzales (@GonzalesKristie) November 19, 2016
The protests turned violent when those on White Lives Matter side turned on each other. The assaults lead to eight arrests and several were found to have guns.
The protest occurred at the same time and place as the unraveling of a monument dedicated to honor contributions made by African Americans in Texas. The White Lives Matter group claims that was just a coincidence.
Black Lives Matter
The White Lives Matter movement is a direct response to Black Lives Matter, which was created to bring attention to hate crimes against Blacks. It started after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin in 2013. Martin was walking home at night and was found to have no weapon.
The #BlackLivesMatter Network advocates for Dignity, Justice, and Respect: https://t.co/ZKEAyQlmw3
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) July 8, 2016
There have been protests against several more violent Black deaths since his acquittal including one against the officer who shot and killed Philando Castile, a Black man who was pulled over for a broken taillight. He was recently found guilty of manslaughter.
Watch this video for an understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement:
Featured Image Screenshot Via Twitter.
