'Umbrella Man' aimed to 'incite violence' during George Floyd protests, police say
Category: News & Politics
Via: tessylo • 4 years ago • 34 commentsBy: Doha Madani, NBC News
'Umbrella Man' aimed to 'incite violence' during George Floyd protests, police say
A man who vandalized an auto parts store in Minneapolis during protests over the death of George Floyd is believed to have ties to a white supremacy group and was trying to stir tensions, according to a new court filing.
Video circulated on social media in late May showing the "Umbrella Man," dressed in black, smashing windows at an AutoZone store with a sledgehammer.
Police have identified a suspect, according to a search warrant affidavit first reported by the Star Tribune and confirmed by NBC affiliate KARE .
The man has not been charged and is not being named by NBC News.
Video from the crime scene May 27 appears to show people nearby trying to discourage the man, according to the affidavit.
An email tip sent in last week alerted authorities about the man's intentions to "sow discord and racial unrest," Minneapolis police Officer Emily Christensen said in the affidavit, which was filed Monday.
"Until the actions of the person your affiant has been calling 'Umbrella man,' the protests had been relatively peaceful," the warrant said. "The actions of this person created an atmosphere of hostility and tension. Your affiant believes that this individual's sole aim was to incite violence."
Police alleged that they later found that the "Umbrella Man" spray-painted the words "free s--- for everyone zone" on the doors of the store before breaking the windows, according to the affidavit.
The AutoZone location was looted and set on fire.
According to the Anti-Defamation League , the Aryan Cowboy Brotherhood is a known prison gang that operates primarily in Minnesota and Kentucky. It is unclear whether it is connected to the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist prison gang believed to have originated in San Quentin State Prison in California in 1964 to fight a Black prison gang during desegregation of prisons.
A search warrant was granted for cellphone records and cell tower information in the "Umbrella Man" investigation.
Minneapolis police did not respond to emails or phone calls Tuesday seeking comment about the warrant.
In the weeks after Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 , protesters took to the streets to demonstrate against police violence and reignited conversations about systemic racism around the country.
Some critics of the protests tried to discredit the demonstrations by citing incidents of looting or vandalism , even though protests around the world were largely peaceful .
Yet once again, the largely peaceful protests(ers) are being blamed for the actions of outside agitators, meant to incite.
Some of us suspected as much, didn't we?
Right wing white supremacist agitators who, like nearly all of their fellow right wing extremists supporting Trump, fantasize about starting a race war.
"As protests gripped Oakland on May 29, a white van pulled up outside a federal courthouse. A door slid open, and a man peppered the two security officers outside with bullets, killing one and wounding the other." "federal authorities say the man, identified as Air Force Staff Sgt. Steven Carrillo, 32, was an adherent of the “boogaloo boys,” a growing online extremist movement that has sought to use peaceful protests against police brutality to spread fringe views and ignite a race war."
"The demographics of a largely white, young, and destructive group fit more with a movement known as accelerationists than Black Lives Matter."
"The accelerationists, if you have never heard the term, are an extreme subset of white nationalism whose goal is to bring about chaos and destruction. The basic tenet of accelerationism argues that since Western governments are inherently corrupt, the best (and only) thing supremacists can do is to accelerate the end of society by sowing chaos and aggravating political tensions. “Accelerationist ideas have been cited in mass shooters’ manifestos — explicitly, in the case of the New Zealand killer — and are frequently referenced in white supremacist web forums and chat rooms,” Zack Beauchamp explained."
And it's very telling that those on the right continue to reject the facts about these right wing infiltrators and agitators even while they are vociferously shouting about supposed "leftist violence". Those on the right still in denial over these obvious facts are effectively enabling these right wing extremists and share in their guilt. Their silence is deafening.
A few things.
1. I haven't seen anyone complaining about truly peaceful protests or protesters, or that all protests have been violent. Had peaceful protests in my area. Also had some protests that were teetering on violent that got squashed, I think appropriately. I've seen people dismissing the violence by arguing that the protests are largely peaceful though, or otherwise attempting to justify some of the bullshit.
2. KKK, BLM, men from mars...matters not who is inciting the violence. A simple acknowledgment that several of these 'protests' are beyond peaceful would be a good start. Allowing LEOs to stop the bullshit would be even better. But, we won't get to that point, because either; a) someone will claim the protest isn't violent, b) the violence was incited by "insert person or group you disagree with here" or c) no good cops, no bad protesters...the 3 of which, or any combination thereof, somehow justify turning a blind eye to the violence, burning of buildings, destruction of private property, etc.
3. Who is responsible for the shit that has been ongoing in Portland? Doesn't matter. I really don't care which group the violence is incited by. I'd like to see it get squashed. If anyone thinks its BLM we get the ol "Sorry Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but the family business has to take one for the team here." I have yet to see the interview of the small business owners, cleaning their place up after it was destroyed the previous night, expressing their content that the protests are really doing the community a service. Now, we are seeing allegations that the protests have been hijacked. No shit. I never once thought the all black clad, white kids, destroying shit, were honestly out there because of George Floyd. Again, KKK, Proud Boys, BLM, Antifa, doesn't matter. Any one of them is/was bound to show up once it was realized that some of these cities were going to allow a free run.
Whoever is inciting the violence, quit bitching about law enforcement, either state or federal, and allow them to go in and remove the bastards. Or, in the alternative, as I've said many times, completely pull out, and let the apologists watch as the 'largely peaceful protest' destroys the community. I don't see a middle ground, because, whichever group is inciting violence is taking advantage of a lax approach.
I wonder, if the crowd was so peaceful, how on earth could they be incited to riot, loot, and burn?
Seems like they must be easily influenced.
What I want to know is if they have identified the man, as they claim, why the hell aren't they charging him?
At least let the store know so they can sue the individual.
Unless, they are completely full of shit, and don't have any substantial evidence to prosecute. Considering a "good prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich" they must have little to nothing. Of course dropping white hate group names is a good way to deflect attention away from the leftist Brown Shirts being allowed to run amok.
As for the "peaceful" protester BS. If they were so damn peaceful they wouldn't have looted and burned the store no matter how much they were "incited".
My point exactly.
Perhaps lemming simply can't think for themselves, and just follow whatever is in front of them?
I didn't say the largely peaceful protesters were incited to riot.
I said the outside agitators are the ones doing the actual 'rioting'
I didn't claim you did.
Sure a lot of damage and mayhem for just a few "outside agitators".
If I were a member of a "peaceful protest", and "outside agitators" started shit, I would call the cops and point out who did what so my group of "peaceful protesters" wouldn't be implicated in any way.
So how many calls did 911 receive from "peaceful protesters" regarding vandalism, looting, or arson?
Any at all??
The "outside agitators" are still agitating. From today's New York Times:
"Two months after the police killing of George Floyd, the four-block area of South Minneapolis where he gasped his last breaths remains a sacred space, a no-go zone for officers...
At night, though, the space is increasingly a battleground, with shootings and drug overdoses. The area has had an uptick in gun violence similar to what other cities have seen in the wake of protests…
"What people aren’t recognizing is that people who live there are having a very, very challenging time from the unlawfulness that is occurring after the sun goes down,” said Andrea Jenkins, a member of the City Council whose district includes the memorial space. “There are constant gunshots every night. Emergency vehicles can’t get in. Disabled people are not able to access their medications, their appointments, their food deliveries, et cetera. It’s a very challenging situation.
“But when the other crowd comes at night, I can’t call the police, and that scares the hell out of me,” she said. Ms. Dawkins pointed to a gunshot in the windshield of her car, a gold sedan.
“We have kids in this home, so I do want police to protect families,” she said. “It’s a hard balance. I’m happy this incident brought change, but I want to feel safe.”
How the hell would I know? Why don't you look it up?
You're supposed to provide a source when you quote something Sean.
That's rich coming from you.
Funny thing is, here is what he wrote.............
"The "outside agitators" are still agitating. From today's New York Times:
Thought it was pretty clear. Of course some folks need a link (that others NEVER read even though given) so they don't have to research themselves. SMH
I guess "From the NY Times" means different things to different people!
All the more reason to encourage the police to keep order and arrest trouble makers. Yet "peaceful" activists and progressive politicians keep talking about doing away with police. Or to paraphrase Nancy Pelosi, just let the people do what they will do.
No one is talking about 'doing away with the police' other than tRump and his supporters.
OK then . . .
Minneapolis City Council approves measure to abolish police force
Here's a little excerpt from that linked article.
Anyone know who the "no one" talking about abolishing police forces is?
Here's another little excerpt from that linked article
"The vote to abolish the police force Friday will require amending the city’s charter. A draft amendment that was posted online suggests replacing the force with a “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.”
The suggested department would consist of peace officers and ensure public safety through “a holistic, public health-oriented approach.”
So again, the only people talking about 'doing away with the police' are tRump and his supporters.
If you want to interpret that as not abolishing the police, that's fine with me, but don't you think you should advocate for better language like "reform the police" or something else that's constructive?
Hey, might be a good time to buy gun stocks.
If the loonies get their way, when someone breaks into your house, they'll send someone to discuss his feelings.
And if it is committed by a minority, someone to come talk to you about white guilt and privilege.
And don't think for a second that the suspect won't keep doing it when he is set free in a no-bail state or city. Want to make sure he is comfortable, after all.
What? White Evangelical Conservatives and the majority do not break in each other homes and steal right under each others noses? Privileged to take privilege from each other?
No kidding. They'll try to have me apologizing to the intruder.
Who? The "Umbrella man?" Why would you apologize to that privileged intruder/agent provocateur?
What is that noise?
No, not the umbrella man.
Are you following the conversation at all?
No, that is not what we were saying.
White Evangelical Conservatives and the majority do not break in each other homes and steal right under each others noses?
Well, he is the "intruder" in this narrative. Look at the image:
The suspect is a member of the Hell's Angels biker gang and a member of the Aryan Cowboy Brotherhood, a white supremacist gang, the affidavit said.
Doesn't matter how it is interpreted, they're not abolishing anything
I'm so glad I have your approval. It's what I live for. . .
So they've invented a "Boogieman" to blame. BLM and ANTIFA aren't violent or destructive they're peaceful, it's the "Umbrella Man" and his band of invisible cohorts who travel around the nation committing all the crimes. Of course they know who he is and his whole racist history but can't tell us his name or charge him because they can't continue to blame the Boogieman for new crimes if he's in jail.