An AFP reader shared with us a Facebook thread in which two people posted threats of violence to people planning to attend the No Kings rally in Staunton on Saturday.
The comments are on a thread originally posted by a local man named Robby Randolph, whose public profile lists him as a resident of Churchville and an employee at Federated Auto Parts.
Randolph’s post is benign:
“Boycott Gypsy Hill Park Saturday, March 28th!!! The No Kings Circus is coming back to town!! From 12 to 2 pm.”
Local No Kings rallies, Saturday, March 28
- Lovingston: The Nelson Center, noon-2 p.m.
- Staunton: Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand, 12:30-2 p.m.
- Harrisonburg: Turner Pavilion, 12:30-2 p.m.
- Charlottesville: 2100 Hydraulic Road (across from The Shops at Stonefield), 1-2:30 p.m.
- Forest Lakes: 3493 Seminole Trail (near the entrance to the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport), 2-4 p.m.
- Lexington: March beginning at Oak Grove Cemetery (316 S. Main St.), ending with rally at Hopkins Green (22 W. Nelson St.), 2-4 p.m.
The first threat comes from the first comment in the thread, from a guy Donnie Collier, who identifies himself as a Marine Corps veteran and retired truck driver with Roadway Express:
“AR-15s, taking my pets first a stroll …”
Not hard to figure out what Mr. Collier is getting at there.
The second threat comes from a Timmy Berry of Waynesboro:
“Iced paintball will do the trick hit a couple of them and they will scatter for sure.”
Not hard to figure out what Mr. Berry is getting at, either.
Last year’s anti-Trump protests featured one guy in jacked-up truck screeching his tires a few feet away from hundreds of people on a sidewalk in front of the Augusta County Courthouse, a second guy brandishing a weapon at people at a stoplight, and a third guy muttering threats about killing people on their way to a summertime protest.
ICYMI
- Witness: ‘Agitated’ man in truck brandished gun at Staunton protest rally
- Staunton judge dismisses reckless-driving charge against local towing company owner
- Staunton Police arrest, then quickly release, man who shouted death threats at protest
Staunton Police let the truck driver off with a warning – it literally took me filing a complaint to the magistrate to get him charged with reckless driving; he was found not guilty, because of course he was.
Police didn’t bring charges in the brandishing case; the guy threatening to kill people was picked up on an unrelated outstanding warrant and released.
What are the odds that one of these jokers shows up on Saturday with an AR-15 or shoots iced paintballs and doesn’t even get a slap on the wrist?
I’d say pretty good, because even though Staunton votes 60 percent Democrat, the people voted into local office have MAGAs in charge of city government, and those folks do their jobs accordingly.
Hold ’em accountable.
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Chris Graham
