Getty Members of the Proud Boys pray for a member who was stabbed during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Four people were stabbed as clashes erupted between pro-Donald Trump members of the Proud Boys group and Black Lives Matter and Antifa counter-protesters near Harry’s Bar in Washington D.C. after the second Million MAGA March. At least one of those stabbed was a Proud Boy member, according to photos and videos from the scene.
The Proud Boys take a knee next to the police line at BLM Plaza to pay respect to the Proud Boy who was stabbed tonight, currently in the hospital from the incident #DC #MarchForTrump #DefendDC #ProudBoys
Washington D.C. police told Heavy.com, “All unrest-related arrests can be found on our website here. Additionally, MPD had eight members with reported injuries in connection to the demonstrations.” As for the stabbing report, MPD wrote, “All victims were transported to an area hospital, conscious and breathing, for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Responding officers arrested 29 year-old Phillip Johnson, of Northwest, DC, for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.”
You can read the police report here.
it identifies the stabbing victims as Franklin Todd Gregory of McMinnville, Tennessee; Corey Owen Nielsen, of Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Jeremy Bertino, of Locust, North Carolina; and Gregory Lyons of unknown address.
Bertino is a Proud Boy member.
NC Proud Boy Jeremy Bertino put on a skull mask and posted a 4 second video on Telegram at 1:48pm ET. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got Boogaloo shit to do”. I do not know what city he is in currently. He comes from Charlotte area but travels a lot.
Proud Boy Jeremy Bertino showed up in Pittsboro wearing a Pinochet t-shirt w/’Right Wing Death Squad’ on the sleeve. The first things he said to me were 1) that he’s been to my apt, and 2) “dox this, Lindsay!” Now Jeremy is v sad everyone knows his name & playing the victim on fb
The report says: On Saturday, 12/12/2020, at approximately 2100 hours, officers working First Amendment demonstrations in the District of Columbia responded for a fight in progress. Upon arrival, officers located V-1, V-2, V-3, and V-4, all suffering stab wounds. V-1 identified S-1 as the person who stabbed him. Further investigation revealed a video from the NY Post showing S-3 push S-1 in the back, at which point S-1 produces a knife, and S-4 then pull on S-1’smask repeatedly, at which point V-2/S-2 punches S-1 repeatedly in the head. V-1, V-2, V-3, V-4, and S-1 were all transported to local hospitals.” We wrote D.C. police a follow-up email to confirm whether they are accusing Johnson of all of the stabbings. They wrote, “The suspect in this case in connection with all 4 victims is Phillip Johnson. However, this case remains under investigation.”
Video and photos show a Proud Boy member clutching his stomach after being stabbed. It also appears from photo and video evidence, as well as accounts from the scene reporting “fights in the streets,” that there was violence and arrests on both sides.
*CW: graphic violence*
#ProudBoys ruthlessly assault a non-violent couple tonight in DC. #DCProtests
DC Police arrest one of the counter-protesters near BLM Plaza #DC #MarchForTrump #ProudBoys #Antifa #BlackLivesMatter
Police taking one of the Proud Boys into custody, loading him into the same paddy wagon as the counter-protester they just arrested #DC #MarchForTrump #DefendDC #ProudBoys
One video shared on Twitter was captioned, “At least one proud boy stabbed after random lone protester fights with multiple proud boys. This protester was the only one around in a mob of a few hundred pb’s and fought with one prior to this video starting and him brandishing a knife.” A man in Proud Boy colors falls to the ground in this video as someone calls for a medic.
Another video, by Eric Thomas, was captioned, “A #ProudBoy is stabbed during a fight with #antifa and requests MPD attention.”
The stabbings occurred near the 500 block of 11th Street NW, according to News4. That’s near Harry’s Bar, which the New York Post described as “a gathering point for the right-wing Proud Boys group.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The Injuries Were ‘Critical’ & Antifa Clashed With Police Earlier in the Day, Reports Say
At least one proud boy stabbed after random lone protester fights with multiple proud boys. This protester was the only one around in a mob of a few hundred pb’s and fought with one prior to this video starting and him brandishing a knife
Eric Thomas posted a video from earlier in the day captioned, “#antifa clash with MPD as they push the police line back. after numerous objects are thrown at officers they advance towards protestors where things get intense. #MarchForTrump #BlackLivesMatter.”
He also wrote, “multiple fights break out between #antifa and the Proud Boys as the two groups meet. Cops try to intervene as pepper spray is shot into the crowd.”
WUSA9 reported that the four people “were stabbed at the intersection of 11th Street and F Street in downtown DC near Black Lives Matter Plaza,” and that they all have “critical injuries.” Two Washington D.C. police officers were also injured in the fray, the television station reported.
Getty Members of the Proud Boys kick a member of Antifa on the ground during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Protests group were “fighting in the streets,” reported WUSA9. The television station reported that 23 people were arrested on December 12, including six for assaulting police officers. It’s not clear which side those arrested affiliated with. Groups associated with the Proud Boys burned Black Lives Matter banners. Antifa clashed with police, throwing objects, according to the television station.
Photos & Videos Show a Proud Boy Member Was Stabbed in the Stomach
A member of the #ProudBoys is stabbed during violent running street fights in #WashingtonDC tonight #DC #DCProtests @SWNS
Video and pictures indicated that at least one of the four people stabbed was a member of the Proud Boys. Daily Mail reported that he was stabbed after confronting an “anti-Trump protester.” Daily Mail reported that some of those stabbed were in critical condition. Pictures show the stabbed Proud Boy clutching his stomach as he is being placed in an ambulance.
Photographer Adam Gray wrote with that picture, “A member of the #ProudBoys is stabbed during violent running street fights in #WashingtonDC tonight #DC #DCProtests @SWNS.” Other photos he posted show, he wrote, Proud Boys fighting with BLM activists during “violent running street fights,” and Proud Boys burning a Black Lives Matter sign.
GettyMembers of the Proud Boys and Antifa clash during a protest on December 12, 2020.
According to The Washington Post, multiple people were stabbed on the night of December 12 as thousands of people demonstrated for President Donald Trump and were met by counter protesters. Daily Mail reported that the four people were stabbed “after violence erupted between the Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter counter-protesters.”
A member of the #ProudBoys is stabbed during violent running street fights in #WashingtonDC tonight #DC #DCProtests @SWNS
Gray described what happened as “violent clashes between BLM and Proud Boys.”
Violent clashes in DC tonight between #blm and #proudboys #StopTheSteaI2020 #DCProtests @SWNS
According to The Post, the rallygoers “refused to accept the results of the election.” The speakers included former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist who said, according to Daily Mail, “Joe Biden will be removed, one way or another!”
Dramatic Videos Showed a Crowd Surrounding a Possible Suspect
Videos provided more details on what happened. This video above was viewed 150,000 times; the caption read, “Right NOW: Lone Attacker With A Knife Is Struck In The Head As Crowd Goes Into Chaos.”
It’s hard to decipher but people appear to shout, “knife,” and “get that mother f***er.” Chaos erupts, and the crowd appears to be gathering around and trying to subdue, even hitting, a person. Police then enter the fray.
GettyMembers of the Proud Boys pose for a photo during a protest on December 12, 2020.
One video captured a police officer pepper spraying a Proud Boy.
The Proud Boys are getting pepper sprayed.
There are many videos showing tense clashes between BLM and the Proud Boys/other Trump supporters.
This photo shows a Proud Boy being arrested, according to the photographer.
GettyA member of the Proud Boys is detained by police during a protest on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. Thousands of protesters who refuse to accept that President-elect Joe Biden won the election are rallying ahead of the electoral college vote to make Trump’s 306-to-232 loss official.
The Southern Poverty Law Center labels the Proud Boys extremists, which is a label they disavow. “Their disavowals of bigotry are belied by their actions: rank-and-file Proud Boys and leaders regularly spout white nationalist memes and maintain affiliations with known extremists,” the site says. “They are known for anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric. Proud Boys have appeared alongside other hate groups at extremist gatherings like the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville.”
SPLC’s descriptors of the Proud Boys have been disputed by their founder Gavin McInnes, who filed a lawsuit against SPLC, according to the Anti-Defamation League. It was dismissed. “The Proud Boys represent an unconventional strain of American right-wing extremism. While the group can be described as violent, nationalistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and misogynistic, its members represent a range of ethnic backgrounds, and its leaders vehemently protest any allegations of racism,” ADL writes.
During a debate with Biden, Trump controversially told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” before claiming he didn’t know who they were.
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