Richmond Police Say 'Trump Train' Led to Multiple Incidents Around Lee Statue
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Lee Statue Stands Over Monument Avenue The afternoon sun illuminates the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Ave in Richmond, Va., Monday, Oct. 19, 2020. A Richmond judge heard arguments in a lawsuit over the Governors' order to remove the statue. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Gunfire damaged one vehicle and someone pepper sprayed a woman.
RICHMOND-City police closed down multiple intersections in Richmond after a "Trump Train" clashed with local residents near the Robert E. Lee statue. Intersections at Monument Ave. and Meadow St., Monument Ave. and Lombardy St., Park Ave. and Allen Ave., West Grace St. and Allen Ave. are all closed to most traffic until further notice.
"Local traffic and emergency vehicles will be able to travel through the area," Richmond police said in a statement to media. "Once normal traffic conditions resume, the community will be notified."
Officers shut down the intersections after incidents Sunday afternoon around the statue. Since September, mobile political rallies called "Trump Trains" have repeatedly come into the city from Henrico County. They typically set up in a portion of the city, plant flags and start yelling in support of President Donald Trump. This time, however, the participants stayed in their vehicles and things got heated.
"The mobile rally drove to the Lee Monument circle at Monument and Allen avenues and confrontations with individuals at the circle ensued," the police statement said. "Some of the vehicles left the roadway and crossed grassy medians near the area."
According to the police timeline, just after 4 p.m., officers were called out to the 1800 block of Monument Ave., near the statue, to investigate a vehicle that had been hit by gunfire. No one was in the vehicle at the time. Minutes later at 4:18 p.m., a woman at the circle told police she had been pepper sprayed by an unknown individual driving by.
Richmond police said that officers cleared the area and then shut down the intersections. They expect to "maintain a presence" there throughout the night and into Monday morning.
White supremacist speech used by some
Multiple videos from people at the incident show some people shouting "1488" as they drive by. According to the Anti-Defamation League, that number is a popular symbol for white supremacists. The first part of the symbol, the number 14, is a shortened version of the white supremacist "14 Words" slogan. The slogan states "we must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children."
The second part of the symbol, the number 88, stands for "Heil Hitler". Why 88? Because, the ADL says, H is the eighth letter of the alphabet.
"Together, the numbers form a general endorsement of white supremacy and its beliefs," the ADL's website states. "As such, they are ubiquitous within the white supremacist movement - as graffiti, in graphics and tattoos, even in screen names and e-mail addresses."
Richmond police said in their statement the investigation is ongoing. They ask anyone with videos or photos of the incidents to call the local Crime Stoppers at (804)-780-1000.
This marks the second time since September that a "Trump Train" in Virginia has been linked to a confrontation. On September 19, a "Trump Train" arrived at the Fairfax County Government Center as people lined up to vote early. During the morning, the group showed up waving Trump/Pence flags and American flags, screaming at voters as they walked by. They chanted "four more years" and formed a line. Voters had to walk around the group in order to get inside the early voting site.
It became enough of an issue that election officials moved voters inside. They also provided escorts for anyone that felt intimidated by the group and brought in extra security.
Incident comes days after Lee ruling
The incidents come less than a week after a Richmond judge ruled that state officials could tear down the Lee statue. Judge W. Reilly Marchant put his own ruling on hold, however, due to the plaintiffs' appeal. The statue currently has to remain in place until the Virginia Supreme Court decides if they want to hear the case.
If they refuse to hear the case, the injunction will be dissolved. State officials can remove the statue at that point. If they agree to hear it, then the injunction remains until the Supreme Court issues a ruling.
It also comes two days after a group of Trump supporters surrounded and followed a Biden campaign bus in Texas. Even though the incident is under investigation, Trump posted on Twitter that he didn't think they did anything wrong.
"In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong," Trump wrote. "Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people!"
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So the "Trump Train" in Richmond Virginia included vocal white supremacists.
That is their thanks to Trump for him telling the nation they are "fine people" (on both sides).
Yes and the universally accepted signal for OK in scuba diving, now means something entirely different. Ridiculous!
You folks need to get a new shtick.
And a life
So you think white people driving into a racially tense situation just randomly shout out "1488" ? You must be a Trump supporter.
Way to not respond to the comment and changing the subject John. And White people? You sound a little racist there John .....
And yes, i gladly support Trump over drool bucket Joe.
All day, every day.
So Sparty, back it up. What is your explanation for "1488"? They yelled it for a reason.
Let me help Sparty out. His google hand must be occupied.
.
There are dozens of other links that discuss it Sparty, so give me a break.
How the hell would i know what that is supposed to mean? I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about how ridiculous the lefts interpretation of a signal that has been universally accepted as OK in SCUBA for decades. Absolutely PC ridiculous.
I suspect the left is being over-reactive as well on the1488 thing but perhaps they can riot, break some privately owned shit and loot some booze, kicks, flat screens and iPads over that incident as well eh?
Yeehaw .... watch the left support their own gettin some ......
Doesn't change a damn thing about what i said.
Guess you're not a diver
We won't be changing that signal any day soon over some ridiculous, fanatical, left wing PC nonsense.
Learn to deal with it ...
Then how the hell are you disputing it???
You want to dispute JohnRussel's definition of 1488? Then do so, claiming that it means something else, when you have no clue what that something else could be is flagrantly dishonest.
Either disprove it with some evidence to back it up or accept it as is.
You made the comparison, not me. But let me help you with this one, as well.
.
My comments are clear and concise Ozz.
Nothing you are saying is making any sense. I suggest you go back and read what i wrote and think on it a little more. I'm not interested in getting into another one of your famous hyperbolic discussions. Most end up at minimum in goat rodeo territory but usually drop deeper into the bottomless pit of the total goat fuckdom zone.
Doubtful you'll reconsider so i'll give you the last word here to claim your false victory and move on.
Nah, i'll keep using it as i please as it was originally intended
The OK sign is not really part of this seed.
OK ?
Yes it is. The analogy was clearly made.
You don't like it? Off topic it like you regularly do when you don't like something
I have let you make a half dozen comments about something that is not part of the seed. Thats enough.
Didn't see anyone scuba diving...did you. Doubt the majority of Trump supporters know that is the OK sign in scuba diving.
wait... we have boats, but... we don't scuba dive?
where didja get that information? LOL
my friends and I have been certified for 30yrs or more depending which one ya ask.
none of us hang out with today's left so their ignorance here is understandable.
Yes, your comment clearly states that you don't believe that is what 1488 means, but you have no idea why you don't believe it.
Lol ..... sure John, sure
Pure speculation on your part.
No it doesn't but please feel free to try again.
I'm sure JohnRussell will be happy to hear you agree with him.
I find it hilarious when libs think it is OK when left backed Antifa and other anti American groups harass, assault and otherwise disrupt a pro Trump rally, but get their panties in a wad when a pro Trump group disrupts a Biden "rally", of all of 10 people
Got some video of that? Because when I watch televised imagery of a Trump rally, the only thing I see is Trump endlessly blabbing steaming piles of nonsense, and his supporters endlessly chanting steaming piles of nonsense.
Last night, the morons in the trump crowd chanted "Fire Fauci" over and over. It was like something out of Europe in the 30's. Or else like "Jews will not replace us". Mob mentality used for ill purposes.
I just seeded an article about that.
Gee ... i wonder if the "local residents" just happened to be there admiring the Lee statue or were there sizing it up for other actions?
Pure speculation on your part. We could speculate that Trump supporters were sizing up the locals for other actions...see how easy it is to speculate without any facts.
Look up the word "wonder" and try again
No need to wonder- just look at the picture with the article. I am sure Trump supporters did all of that damage.