Minden, NV Proves America’s “Sun Down Towns” Are Alive and Well.
By Christopher Torres and JJ Mazzucotelli
On July 28, Douglas County Public Library released a statement in support of Black Lives Matter to which Sheriff Coverley responded via online letter that the library should not “feel the need to call 911 for help” because of his belief that the library’s support of Black Lives Matter is also a demonstration of a lack of support for local police.
The protest was scheduled for August 8th in the small town of Minden in front of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Before BLM’s arrival
The scheduled Blacks Lives Matter protest was to begin at 10 a.m., but by 9 a.m. the parking lot of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office was filled with pro-law enforcement counter-protestors demonstrating their support for Sheriff Dan Coverley and police.
Upon entering, militia members were spotted throughout the grounds providing unofficial security aid to Douglas County police. Some of those who were present could be identified by patches. Militias that were present included the 3% Militia, the Northern Nevada Militia, as well some members of the Boogaloo Movement.
Tents were set-up to provide shade, as well as give people food, water, and protection from the desert sun over Minden.
As Sheriff Coverley stepped out from the sheriff’s office, applause filled the lot as counter-protesters began to chant “Stand with Dan.” The slogan was also pasted on hats, t-shirts, and signs carried by counter-protestors.
Coverley began the press conference by thanking people for coming out.
He stated that he wanted to address the protest relating to the correspondence between him and the Douglas County Public Library and the national attention the protest has gathered. Coverley’s statements have appeared on CNN, USA Today, Washington Post, and other national publications.
“For the record, we support the library and the services they provide. We will continue to protect and serve them and all citizens and visitors to Douglas County,” read Coverley from his press statement.
He continued, “We respect each individual’s right to peacefully assemble and to exercise their first amendment. However, we will not tolerate the destruction of property or personal injury.”
This was met by applause from the crowd gathered for Coverley’s press statement.
“The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is committed to fair policing and treating everyone in an impartial, equitable, objective manner with respect and in accordance with the law. Again, free speech is important and we value citizen’s free speech rights. We are asking for the attendees’ to help ensuring that this event is peaceful, remains a place for free speech and that everyone follows the law,” stated Coverley.
Before finishing his statement, he added, “Douglas County is my home. It is where I chose to live and raise my family. I am proud to have grown up here, I am proud to be a resident of Douglas County, I am proud to be a native Nevadan. I believe everyone should feel safe in their community and the relationship between the sheriff’s office and its citizens is extremely important.”
Sheriff Coverley then moved to take questions. The first he received was regarding the size of the event and if he expected it to turn into what it has. He answered no, he was shocked by the national media attention his statement received.
“I didn’t expect that. I am overwhelmed at the support that I have received personally, my family, and that the sheriff’s office has received,”
Sheriff Coverley felt that he was misinterpreted in his initial statement. When asked at what he did intend to mean he stated, “My office has always supported everyone in the community. Anyone that calls and asks for help, we will help them. I simply meant that if you don’t feel you can trust law enforcement, the sheriff’s office specifically, then don’t feel that you have to ask us for help. It’s completely up to you. But I never threatened to pull support.” This response was met with further applause.
When asked about the takeaways of what has occurred during the past few days, Coverley responded, “I think that the one thing that I’ve taken away from this is that the majority of citizens appreciate their law enforcement officers. They really love the sheriff’s office and the deputies and appreciate their hard work. So, I think that’s the takeaway for today.”
Sheriff Coverley ended the press statement by laughing off a proposed run for governor, which was met with roaring applause from the surrounding audience.
Following the press statement, counter-protesters began to disperse around the area to demonstrate their support for Sheriff Coverley and law enforcement.
BLM’s arrival
Pro-police counter-protestors lined the sidewalk facing the street outside of the Carson Valley Inn waving various flags including — the American flag, the ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag, Trump flags and Don’t Tread on Me flags. As well as carrying and showing pro-police signage.
As 10 a.m. approached, Black Lives Matter protestors began to occupy the sidewalk across the street from pro-police counter-protestors. At the time of their arrival, there were less than 20 activists present.
The expected number of BLM protestors dropped following a statement from Reno activist Lily Baran advising people to not attend the protest because of the increased threat perceived based by days of online threats and the activated presence of militias.
Moments after their arrival, armed counter-protesters crossed the street to stand next to BLM protestors, not interacting with them.
More counter-protestors crossed the street to either attempt to have a conversation with BLM protestors or to scream at them.
As the situation intensified, a 3% Militia member began to step between BLM protestors and counter-protestors to prevent any physical altercations.
However, the situation continuously intensified and any attempts at peaceful conversation quickly went away as more counter-protesters crossed the street and had all BLM protestors surrounded.
Counter-protestors repeatedly drowned out BLM protestors with chants of “All Lives Matter,” “U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.” and the American pledge of allegiance. BLM protestors would attempt to start their chants of “Black Lives Matter,” but were quickly drowned out by counter-protestor chants.
After several minutes of arguing, Douglas County officers arrived at the scene in riot gear to maintain the peace. Soon after their arrival, both sides began to quiet down.
At around 10:30 a.m., a half-hour after they had begun, BLM protestors began to gather their supplies and moved away from the scene. BLM protestors were followed by roughly 500 counter-protestors, this time cornering them towards an alley. More shouting began between both sides.
Minutes passed and one Minden local stood atop a transformer box and shouted to gather everyone’s attention.
“Are we proud?! Are we proud?! They have the right to freedom of speech!” shouted the man.
He continued, “Do we not want to hear anything?! Are we so freaking idiotic that what they say doesn’t matter?!”
To say that this was not met well would be an understatement. The counter-protestor group shouted at the man to get down from the transformer box and continued to accost him until he left the group.
Another man, who stated that he organized the pro-police contingent, attempted to support the man speaking atop the transformer box but was also drowned out by the crowd.
Parker Hollon, a BLM protestor who was there providing make-shift security for BLM demonstrators, said “I did it to protect the people that are on our side. We’ve had serious threats of violence towards us as a group; and myself, I’ve actually been threatened with my own individually. So I figured, I’d throw on the vest, grab a couple of guns and make sure everyone is chill on my side.” Earlier in the week, Black Lives Matter — Carson City had requested security aid from Truckee Meadows John Brown Gun Club (TMJBC). TMJBC declined, reposting the statement made by Baran.
He did not believe that the protest would escalate into intense violence.
“There was a worry, but now that I’ve seen what it is — it really just still seems like heated discussion, you know. People have been yelling, it’s gonna happen. But no one’s drawn a gun, no one’s gotten physical, I think it’s just gonna keep on keeping on that way.”
Hollon believes that the statement released advising people not to arrive at the Minden protest wasn’t warranted.
“They were worried about tear gas and us immediately showing up being slaughtered. It’s been none of that. I’ve been talking with the other side, you know — shaking hands, making peace with the other side.”
“I don’t think it’s gonna get more to just yelling,” concluded Hollon.
Continued Movement
BLM protestors continued to move, this time making their way towards the Historic Douglas County Courthouse where they rendezvoused with another set of protestors already there. Once again, they were followed by a large group of mostly armed counter-protesters.
One protestor, Jerome Silas, who repeatedly attempted to engage in a civil discussion with counter-protestors was interviewed by various members of the press.
Mr. Silas stated to a member of the press, “When people are given and have access to more resources, have more access to protections — they can kind of keep themselves out of situations that could have them brutalized by police officers. We’re really moving forward toward a movement asking for equity instead of equality because we just want to be educated properly.”
He continued, “We want to be properly fed so that we can learn when we are being educated and then we want that education to turn into some type financial stability, not only for individuals but for an entire community that has suffered gap wages since the time we were released from slavery.”
At this moment, counter-protestors continuously honked air horns whilst Silas was attempting to continue his interview.
When asked how he initially felt regarding Sheriff Coverley’s statements, Silas responded, “We knew it. We already knew that that was how they felt. It’s just that one sheriff had the audacity to say it. We deal with the same and similar things that Carson City, Reno, and other places as well. We’re gonna address it.”
“Hopefully, the other side takes from it that we won’t be moved. Not too far at least, we already moved from the first place we were standing. But, we’re going to continue to come out here and continue to speak for those people that can’t speak anymore,” said Silas.
“I’m feeling like these folks are showing their true colors. They can keep following us around, but we’re scheduled to be till 3. We don’t plan on leaving until then.”
“Defunding the police does not actually mean taking the funds away from the police in order to starve them of resources,” said Silas. “Defunding the police means we want you to reallocate those funds. Give us an equitable educational system in which our children can be properly educated! And then when we are properly educated, give us jobs outside of affirmative action! I don’t want to be anywhere just because I’m Black! Hire me because I’m worthy! But I’m not worthy because I’m not educated!”
“And if we got down to the nitty and gritty, we could admit that black, brown, and poor white children all suffer from the same form of miseducation. Which is why I do not understand how it is that it is that white people can’t understand oppression. You come from a land that you claim to be oppressed in! The same forms of oppression that you said you dealt with at home! You came and inflicted those forms of oppression on the indigenous people here, as well as the Latino community, the poor white community. Oppression is at the root of this country, it’s the at root of you leaving the country that you came from. So excuse us, while we protest oppression,” concluded Silas.
At this time, an armored police vehicle arrived at the scene to calm the volatile crowd and to disperse the crowd. The officers who exited the vehicle were outfitted in protective riot gear, grenade launchers and had additional tear gas canisters attached to their vests.
During the dispersal of both groups with the arrival of the armored vehicle, counter-protesters began to harass and accost members of the press. This was a trend throughout the demonstrations, one Reno Worker reporter noted: “ I’ve been called a f*g before, I’ve had weapons shoved in my face and been threatened before, but this is the first time I’ve been called a f*g at gunpoint and told to be out of town before sundown, that’s a new one”. A security detail was requested by a KTVN reporter.
Protestors attempted to move back towards their initial site of protest but were stopped by another group of counter-protestors, once again surrounding them and shouting over them.
A veteran attempted to diffuse the situation by shouting at those making an effort to silence BLM protestors.
“I didn’t fight for 23 years for this country so you guys…” the aforementioned 3% Militia member added, “…so you guys can fucking act like this!”
The veteran continued, “They have a right to go where they want to protest, let them go there!”
The 3% Militia member continued, “They have a right! This is what we fought for! Let them peacefully protest!”
These individuals were met with further hostility, ignoring the statements made. However, after further arguing, protestors were allowed to move back to the initial site of their protest.
At this point, the situation began to escalate quickly as new counter-protestors arrived and began to accost BLM demonstrators leading to a separation of people from both sides to prevent physical violence.
As before, counter-protesters chanted over BLM protestors with, “U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.!”
Protestors again began to move, this time through a neighborhood chanting “Black Lives Matter, we show Black love!” Counter-protestors followed them through the neighborhood, honking air horns.
As protestors approached Minden Park, a truck was turning left and stopped as protestors crossed the street. Protestors stopped in front of the vehicle and the vehicle continued to move slowly towards them. The driver repeatedly honked his horn at protestors and began to press on the gas to start to shove protestors.
At that, a BLM protestor threw an empty water bottle at the windshield and shouted at the driver, “What the fuck dude?! Why are you –” he was cut off here as a counter-protestor came and punched the BLM protestor in the side of the head. Both men threw punches at one another before being separated.
“That guy was trying to hit them with a car!” said the BLM protestor to another counter-protestor following him. The counter-protestor replied, “Good! Good! Fucking kill ‘em!”
Protestors continued to move through the neighborhood, flanked and followed by counter-protestors. Officers arrived in their armored vehicle once again to diffuse the situation, which led to a brief stand-off between BLM protestors and counter-protestors before BLM protestors were directed where to go.
As the BLM protesters began to head back to their cars the verbal assaults grew more and more vitriolic, culminating in racist chants, as shown in the video below. The majority of this hate was directed at the local organizers who were from Minden and the surrounding small towns.
BLM protestors arrived back to their initial location but kept moving towards the Carson Valley Inn. They were leaving the protest, earlier than the time they had stated they would remain till.
The protesters stated that they did not feel safe enough to continue the protest.
After BLM’s departure
Counter-protestors remained at the scene hours after BLM protestors had left in mass. While a few stayed behind and others came to voice their support for the BLM movement, they did not stay long as they were overwhelmed by pro-police demonstrators.
Tim Kroetch was present as a pro-police counter-protestor present. He remained there after BLM protestors had left.
“All the things that have taken place since — or the majority of them — are not legitimate. When you throw a brick over a line of people, and that hasn’t happened here — when you throw a frozen water bottle so you can get around the fact that throwing a rock or a brick is illegal when you burn police cars, you burn buildings, you pull down statues, things you don’t understand history — it’s not okay. It’s not okay,” said Kroetch.
Mass Liberation Northern Nevada (MINN), a local organization dedicated to ending mass incarceration in Nevada, claimed in a press release that the Sheriff of Douglas County had met with militia members days before the protest to “collaborate in response to a proposed protest of his office”.
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