Protesters clash with conservatives at Capitol in Sacramento

Protesters clash with conservatives at Capitol in Sacramento Advertisement ...

Protesters clash with conservatives at Capitol in Sacramento

Advertisement Protesters clash with conservatives at Capitol in Sacramento Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT MIKE: WITHIN THE LAST HALF HOUR, ALL OF PROTESTERS HAVE GONE HOME , BUT WHAT IN EMOTIONAL DAY. IT STARTED WITH 150 CONSERVATIVES. THEY HAD A PERMIT TO BE HERE. THEY WANTED REPUBLICANS TO GET OUT AND VOTE. MANY PROTESTERS ARRIVED ENCOURAGED TO BE HERE BY ANTIFA AGENTS WHO WORE MASKS AND HOODS TO SHIELD THEIR IDENTITIES. >> IMMIGRANTS ARE WELCOME HERE. MIKE RALLIES BETWEEN EMOTIONAL FORCES. CONSERVATIVES WANT TO TURN CALIFORNIA RED. >> TO START VOTING OUT DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS. THEY HAVE BEEN IN POWER FOR A LONG TIME. MIKE: WHILE THE OTHER SIDE, PROTESTERS, MANY OF THEM WEARING MATH TO HIDE THEIR FACES. THEY ACCUSE RALLY GOERS OF BEING RACIST. >> WE NEED TO STAND UP AGAINST THAT. >> JUST TO PROTEST WHITE SUPREMACY. THESE PEOPLE THINK THAT WHITE CULTURE IS DYING OUT. MIKE: INSISTING THEIR FOCUS IS TO ENCOURAGE REPUBLICANS ♪ TO GET OUT AND VOTE. -- REPUBLICANS TO GET OUT AND VOTE. THERE ARE A LOT OF STRONG EMOTIONS HERE TODAY. ONE THING WE ARE NOTICING IS A VERY STRONG POLICE PRESENCE. THE METAL BARRIERS ARE DESIGNED TO SEPARATE THE TWO SIDES. AT ONE POINT, ONE OF THE RALLY GOERS WAS ARRESTED WHEN HE DEFIED ORDERS TO STAY OFF THE STREET. APPEALS FOR PEACE. >> I LIKE TO BRING MY PASSION FOR PEACE INTO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT MAY BECOME ELEVATED IN A NEGATIVE WAY. MIKE: THE MOST SURPRISING MOMENT HAPPENED WHEN THE BROTHER OF STEPHAN CLARK CROSSED THE STREET. THE PROTESTS SHOW HOW HIGHLY POLARIZED AND EMOTIONAL OUR NATION IS JUST TWO WAYS -- DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY. Advertisement Protesters clash with conservatives at Capitol in Sacramento SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) â€"

There was a strong police presence Sunday at the State Capitol, where dozens of protesters opposed to President Donald Trump clashed with an estimated 150 conservatives who support him.

The conservatives part of the rally to "Turn California Red," as in Republican, had a permit to be at the Capitol, according to the California Highway Patrol.

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They were challenged by protesters who were encouraged to be there by Facebook posts from Antifa, and many wore masks to hide their identities.

The dueling rallies featured shouting and screaming by both sides.

Chris Ross, of California Conservatives United, said he organized his rally to urge Republicans to get out the vote. He said that turning California red was important "to start voting out Democratic politicians. They’ve been in power a very long time.”

One protester, wearing a mask, said, “If hate groups are going to show up in our city, we need to stand up against that.”

Ed Hunter, another protester, said he was there to “protest white supremacy. I think it’s ridiculous these people think that white culture is dying out.”

Conservative rally-goers strongly denied any support for white supremacy, insisting their focus is to encourage Republicans to vote.

“I live in the inner city in south Sacramento,” said Jesse Haner. “I’ve seen the Democratic Party care about votes and talk to the inner city during election time, and then after that, nothing else happens.”

Dozens of law enforcement officers from the Sacramento Police Department and the CHP kept the two sides separated, using bicycles and metal barriers to keep them apart.

At one point, one of the conservative rally-goers was arrested when he defied police orders to stay off the street.

Despite the heated rhetoric, there was also an appeal for peace.

“What I like to do is bring my passion for peace into an environment that may become elevated in a negative way,” said Renee Marie.

The most surprising moment of the day came when Stevante Clark, brother of Stephon Clark, crossed 10th Street to hug a conservative rally-goer, with both appealing for non-violence. Stephon Clark was shot and killed by police March 18 in his grandparents' backyard in south Sacramento.

It was a rare moment of unity amid protests that showed, once again, just how polarized this nation is two days before Election Day.

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Source: Google News | Netizen 24 United States