I trust folks will keep this non-political. The point of this post is to warn that potentially bad stuff may be happening in areas you may consider safe and a lot closer to you than you might beleive.
For the past few months our suburb of Phoenix, Gilbert, has had a Thursday BLM protest and counter protest at an intersection just about 1/2-mile from us, maybe 1/3 mile as the crow flies. Nothing special there, just an "arrangement" forced by Gilbert PD. You want to protest, we'll allow it here. https://www.google.com/maps/place/814+S+Gilbert+Rd,+Gilbert,+AZ+85233/@33.3352263,-111.7923453,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x872ba9661400a5bf:0xd367a295853ac977!8m2!3d33.3352263!4d-111.7901566
Typically there's been about 20 BLM protesters on the SW corner. Mostly young kids with 1 or 2 older organizers. Maybe some concealed firearms, but none visible.
NW corner will typically be 30-40 Blue Lives Matter counter protestors. Generally older folks with some kids, fairly well armed with at least a dozen ARs, etc., visible.
Using speakers they hurl insults across the 6 lane road for a couple hours and disperse. Those driving past honk and give the finger mostly to the BLM kids (its a heavily conservative area politically). Usually a couple Gilbert PD members just keeping an eye on things. Mostly folks behaving themselves, with the exception of the vitriol.
Yesterday afternoon/evening was different. Intersection was blocked or they were letting through one lane at a time. Rush hour, busy intersection, backed up badly at times. Folks doing u-turns and such to get around it.
BLM side had about 50-70 protesters. Counted 3 "older" guys with ARs visible "up front". Other side of the street had 300-400 (and growing) and enough arms to start a small war. Counted at least a dozen with body armor. Mostly older crowd, but lots of younger as well.
40-50 Gilbert PD officers there. SWAT rolled up as we left the area. PD did a good job of restraining folks, completely surrounding the BLM protesters. Fire and EMS was in parking lot ready to assist. It was 108 degrees, folks were dropping off cubes of water bottles to the folks on the NW corner.
http://www.equipped.org/graphics/08202020-3.jpghttp://www.equipped.org/graphics/08202020-2.jpghttp://www.equipped.org/graphics/08202020-1.jpgNot a word of this in the local news last night or this morning.
Social media intel suggested BLM was planning violence, according to my sources, but apparently overwhelming force from Gilbert PD combined with social media call out to those opposed to BLM put a damper on it.
But, it could have easily gone very badly. Intel suggests it may be even larger going forward.
Again, just down the street from suburban middle class diverse residential areas, with exception of SW corner is a county island of generally less affluent Hispanic families who have been there for decades. Unlike many cities where we have seen rioting, a significant portion of the Gilbert population is well-armed.
Crazy times. Be prepared folks. Stay aware of what's going on in your area that may not make the news.
Keep it non-political here.
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