White, Black Groups Clash at Jena, La., Protests
Posted on: Tuesday, 22 January 2008, 06:00 CST
By Abbey Brown
JENA, La. -- One counterprotester was arrested after about 30 members of a white "pro-majority" group marched here Monday.
The Nationalist Movement called the march to express disdain for the holiday celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. and for the support given the "Jena Six," six black Jena teenagers charged with beating a white classmate.
A dozen members of the New Black Panther Party held their own march in protest. Altogether, 200 people demonstrated against the Nationalists. The groups met at the LaSalle Parish Courthouse.
As police tried to push the Black Panthers to the back of the courthouse, officers pulled William Winchester, 42, of New Orleans from the group and arrested him. He was charged with battery of a police officer and resisting arrest.
As the Nationalists marched, they shouted, "No to King! No to the Jena Six!" Counterprotesters followed, shouting, "Down with the Klan!"
Jena native Dayna Brown said of the Nationalists' demonstration, "I think it's offensive."
David Dupre of Tioga, La., and his son, David Dupre Jr., joined the march. Each had a .357 Magnum handgun, a .22-caliber revolver and a sawed-off shotgun, which they said they needed for protection. Police made them leave the weapons in their vehicle.
Nationalist Movement spokesman Richard Barrett had asked demonstrators and supporters not to carry weapons.
Several marchers and observers carried Confederate flags. One flag-waver, Michael Brown, said, "We're here just supporting our white brothers. We're proud to be white."
Charles Otwell of Jena called both sides "stupid.""Everybody needs to go home," he said. The image of Jena as a "racist little town" is inaccurate and "crazy," he said.
The Nationalists vowed to come to Jena soon after 20,000 people marched there Sept. 20 to support the Jena Six. The six black students were charged with beating a white student on Dec. 4, 2006, after a series of racial incidents that included white students hanging nooses from a tree at the school. (c) Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.
Source: USA TODAY
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User Comments (1)
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Posted by A.GUYTON on 01/23/2008, 17:46 SINCE,1803, the purchase to the 1863 BLACK CODE, this was a norm,and now it's coming to for-front .now we have group's who want to make money off a issue that should be handel in a MORAL MANNER. I think both group's are out of order,they are out to inrage the public with the ol-black&white figth and i am not buying no ticket's |
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