BG On The Scene

The mother of Tyre Nichols, RowVaughn Wells, speaks alongside Attorney Ben Crump at a press conference Friday in Memphis, Tennessee, following the filing of murder charges against five former Memphis Police officers in the death of her 29-year-old son

Several stores were looted in Memphis on Friday night, with multiple GameStop locations, a Hibbett Sports store, pawn shop and more all targeted overnight. Community member Chris Weaver, a customer of one of the GameStop locations, spoke out against the looting today outside the damaged building facade of a Memphis GameStop.

Lansing, Michigan: Bank of America windows smashed at a ‘Stop Cop City’ protest Saturday night, with six arrested on misdemeanor charges. The event was held in response to the death of Manuel “Tortuguita” Teran in Atlanta and in opposition to a large proposed police training facility Teran was killed Wednesday by police in Georgia, after what officers claim was first shooting & wounding a state trooper. Activists dispute the claim, police say no footage of the shooting is available Opponents of the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center had encamped at the forested site where it is set to be built, before a police operation Wednesday to clear the area, where the shooting occurred. Nationwide demonstrations have been held this past week in response

More footage from January 6th was just released, including a portion with Rosanne Boyland at the lower west tunnel (visible from 2:04:27 through 2:05:15 in this video - caution, viewer discretion advised). The footage, two and a half hours in length, comes from the body-worn camera of DC Metropolitan Police Officer Terrence Craig. Craig recently testified about the events portrayed in the footage during the trial of Richard Barnett, a man from Arkansas known for the photo with his feet up on a desk in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The footage runs continuously from 2:25 pm through 4:55 pm, beginning shortly after the first entry from the crowd into the building that occurred at 2:12 pm. A group of MPDC officers is arriving at the Capitol at the start of this footage. The first two minutes have no audio, a function of this brand of body-worn camera. Audio is available throughout the rest of the video. Officers are seen inside the Capitol Rotunda, the halls of the Capitol Building, the Capitol crypt, inside the Lower West Terrace tunnel and outside on the west side of the building, where the majority of the crowd was throughout the afternoon.

A new sculpture honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King has been unveiled on the Boston Common. The bronze piece, titled “The Embrace”, was created by conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas. The sculpture symbolizes the hug between Dr. King and his wife Coretta after he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The couple first met as students in Boston. The sculpture is 20 feet tall and 40 feet wide, and was transported to Massachusetts in multiple pieces for installation after being built in Walla Walla, Washington. It cost $10 million to create, and was assembled in Boston throughout December 2022. The monument was formally unveiled at a ceremony on Friday, a few days before this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Supporters of a drag story time gathered outside the Fall River Public Library in Massachusetts on Saturday, demonstrating outside of the event that has faced protests in recent months. The drag story time, organized by the Fall River Pride Committee and held monthly throughout the winter, has recently drawn protests amidst a backdrop of objections to all-ages drag events in the U.S. In response to the protests, a crowd of about 150 supporters of the event, including multiple John Brown Gun Clubs, a local pride group and antifascist activists, gathered on Saturday, demonstrating outside the library as January’s event took place. Organizers say the event features book readings and crafts, and is open to all ages. Drag performer Ms. Gloria addressed the crowd during the demonstration, thanking them for their support. A few protesters of the event arrived shortly before it began, though in smaller numbers than recent months in Fall River. A few heated exchanges occurred between supporters and the protesters before opposing sides were separated by Fall River Police, who moved protesters against the event across the street. The rest of the event occurred without incident, and police escorted the protesters away from the event shortly after the drag story time’s conclusion. Supporters cheered as this occurred, then held brief chants and remarks before dispersing from outside the library.

Demonstrators in support of Palestine protested VP Kamala Harris’s visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan this afternoon. Harris spoke at a climate crisis event on the University of Michigan’s campus, alongside Energy Secretary and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Protesters with SAFE - Students Allied for Freedom and Equality - criticized Harris’s support of Israel, her actions as a prosecutor in California, and the Biden-Harris Administration’s approval of billions of dollars in aid to Israel and their military. They also spoke against the Israeli security minister’s recent ban on Palestinian flag-flying in public. Demonstrators gathered outside Hill Auditorium before marching to Rackham Auditorium, where the climate crisis event took place. Chants and speeches were held outside the venue, with a brief break during the discussion before resuming as patrons departed from the event. The group then departed and marched across other parts of the U of M campus and downtown Ann Arbor.

U.S. Capitol, January 6th, 2021

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been sworn in for a second 4-year term this morning in Lansing. The Gubernatorial Inauguration Ceremony, taking place outside the Michigan State Capitol, also featured other elected officials taking oaths of office, including members of the Michigan Supreme Court, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. A 19-gun salute followed Whitmer taking the oath of office on the Capitol grounds. The M101A1 artillery used formerly saw action in Korea, though now is no longer firing live rounds and is retired to ceremonial use. The ceremony was attended by a few hundred on this cold New Year’s Day morning in Michigan. The start of Governor Whitmer’s second term, coupled with the Democratic Party’s securing of majorities in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature after the November 2022 election, marks the first time since 1983 that Democrats simultaneously control the Governor’s office, House of Representatives and Senate in the State of Michigan.

Just want to say thank you all so much for the support and following along this year. It’s been a weird one, but I’m extremely grateful for what I’ve learned, the people I’ve met and all that have helped make this coverage possible in 2022. There’s a lot of uncertainty and every day is an adventure of its own. I’m very thankful to be able to get out there and document history unfolding in the world today. This is a lifelong passion of mine, and I don’t take it for granted being able to do this kind of work. There’s still a lot for me to learn, and I look forward to bringing you much more in the near future. Wishing you all a great 2023, more to come soon!

Protesters gathered outside the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday night, demonstrating against ‘A Drag Queen Christmas’ event being held inside. The show, open to patrons of all ages, drew scrutiny from some amidst a wider backdrop of all-ages drag event protests across the United States. Protesters with the group ‘This is Texas Freedom Force’ called for protest outside the venue, and they and others gathered across the street from the theatre on Tuesday. A couple members of Patriot Front, the Log Cabin Republicans, and some religious individuals holding prayer also demonstrated against the event. Several protesters were also armed and open carrying at Tuesday’s demonstration. Supporters of the drag show event, roughly 4x in number compared to the protest group, rallied outside the venue across the street from protesters. Attendees included some armed members of the John Brown Gun Club, a pro-LGBTQ/antifascist group that also open carries at demonstrations. Both sides chanted, held speeches and traded criticisms of each other from across the street. San Antonio Police generally kept the groups separated, though a few isolated incidents of individuals crossing to the other side occurred before being quickly separated once again. No arrests or major incidents occurred throughout the night, with both sides remaining peaceful during the demonstrations. The drag show proceeded inside as planned, and let out around 10:30pm local time on Tuesday.

James O’Keefe, founder of Project Veritas, was met by protesters Saturday night while entering the New York Young Republican Club’s Annual Gala in Manhattan. No physical altercations occurred, and protesters were kept a short distance away by barricades and NYPD officers outside the venue. O’Keefe stopped to speak and interact with the group of around a dozen protesters for several minutes before heading into the gala.

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk out at Detroit’s 2022 Thanksgiving Day Parade

Just over 6 months out from the deadly May tornado in Gaylord, a look at some of the reconstruction progress and damages still visible in the northern Michigan city

Melee and several arrests in NYC Monday afternoon as trans rights activists counter-protested a ‘Let Women Speak’ event being held outside City Hall. The ‘Let Women Speak’ tour, organized by British women’s rights activist Kellie-Jay Keen, drew controversy and frequent protests as it made its way across the U.S. this past month, with speeches critical of transgender women competing in women’s sports, gender ideology, puberty blockers and transgender surgeries for minors, and other issues that have been heated topics of debate this year. The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators have voiced concerns that biological women are being ‘erased’ in the present environment. Counter-protesters have characterized the speakers as transphobic, and frequently describe speakers as ‘TERFs’, standing for ‘trans-exclusionary radical feminists’. Monday’s demonstration did not feature an appearance from Keen herself, after what she claims were police safety concerns for the New York event, the final slated stop on the U.S. tour. Other demonstrators, roughly a couple dozen in number, did assemble amidst a heavy police presence outside City Hall. Clashes began before the event’s scheduled 1 pm start time, with several dozen pro-trans counter-protesters assembling next to the speakers. Police attempted to separate the two groups, counter-protesters kicked and pushed against the barricades, leading to several melees with officers as they attempted to control the approaching crowd. At least 7 counter-protesters were arrested, and additional police officers continually arrived throughout the afternoon, boosting their numbers up to roughly 100 NYPD surrounding the event. The ‘Let Women Speak’ demonstrators held their event behind barricades, lines of NYPD officers and private security. The event lasted a little under two hours before the group was escorted to a nearby parking garage to depart. One counter-protester spit multiple times towards the LWS demonstrators, one of whom deployed pepper spray in response. Counter-protesters followed the group to the parking garage, noting license plate numbers as the demonstrators departed from behind lines of police separating the two groups.

Speaking with two members of the SDOA militia (Sons and Daughters of America), whose group was present outside the cancelled drag storytime event in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. The group stated they were there over concerns of threats made against the event, which ultimately did not proceed after internal disputes over security arrangements by event organizers. Discussing their presence at the protests that did occur on Saturday, they indicated they were not there in protest of the drag storytime event, but rather in the interest of safety of participants and those present at the protests and counter-protests. Despite the event’s cancellation, Saturday’s demonstrations proceeded throughout the morning into early afternoon, with some heated exchanges between opposing groups, though without major incident or altercations. Topics discussed in this interview include how the militia was received by police, protesters and counter-protesters, whether the presence of an armed group escalated or de-escalated the situation, background and other community engagements SDOA has undertaken, and response to media coverage from the events in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday.

Members of nationalist group Patriot Front marched near the venue of a cancelled 'Holi-Drag Storytime' event in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. The event was cancelled shortly before its scheduled start Saturday morning, with organizers citing disagreements over security and police arrangements as the reason for calling the event off. The Patriot Front group's arrival occurred a little over an hour after the scheduled start of the drag storytime, where Columbus Proud Boys were holding a demonstration outside First Unitarian Universalist Church and nearby along North High Street. Some of the Proud Boys accused the Patriot Front group of being federal agents upon their arrival, and ultimately the groups remained nearby but separate as demonstrations continued into the afternoon. Various groups then gathered down the street from the church along the busier North High Street, where a group of pro-LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter counter-protesters had also gathered in support of the event. Some verbal exchanges were made between opposing groups, though no major altercations occurred. All eventually dispersed early Saturday afternoon.

A Holi-Drag Storytime event was cancelled in Columbus, Ohio after Proud Boys announced plans to protest the event today. The drag storytime, billed as a kid-friendly event and set to be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, was cancelled shortly before it was set to take place Saturday morning. Proud Boys had announced protest plans weeks in advance, and despite initial assurances of event security by organizers, they ultimately opted not to hold the event at the church on Saturday. Dozens of Proud Boys showed up to protest where the event would have been held, with some traveling from out of state for the demonstration. Other groups including Patriot Front later joined the protest as well. An armed group in camo, identifying themselves as acting as peacekeepers, was present as demonstrations took place. Organizers had put out a request days in advance of the event (before cancellation) asking people not to counter-protest the Proud Boys. Ultimately, a handful did show up in counter-protest outside the church, though far fewer than the group of Proud Boys and others that protested the event. Some exchanges took place between opposing individuals, though no major altercations occurred. Demonstrators later made their way down towards a busier road a few blocks from the church, where several groups, including a larger section of counter-protesters, stood on either side of North High Street before eventually dispersing in the afternoon.

Full speech from former President Donald Trump’s November 15th, 2022 ‘Special Announcement’ at Mar-a-Lago, where he declared his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.

Former President Donald Trump officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday night. A week after promoting an upcoming ‘Special Announcement’ for November 15th, Trump held an event in the Grand Ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The announcement speech was attended by some immediate family members and roughly a thousand guests in total. Attendees included Barron Trump, Eric and Lara Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jared Kushner, Roger Stone, Mike Lindell and Jason Miller. Donald was joined by wife and former First Lady Melania Trump for his arrival to the ballroom. He gave a roughly one hour speech shortly after 9 pm, formally announcing his candidacy for President of the United States in the 2024 election.

Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon and running mate Shane Hernandez, along with Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and Attorney General candidate Matt DePerno, rally at Faith Baptist Church in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Michigan GOP candidate for Governor, Tudor Dixon, holds a campaign town hall in Shelby Township, with just over 10 days to the November 8th election.

After two and a half years of border restrictions, Canada has dropped all COVID-19 border and travel measures today, including requiring use of the ArriveCAN app and providing proof of vaccination. The country previously had Covid-related restrictions since March 16th, 2020. The move leaves the United States as the only North American country requiring proof of vaccination for non-U.S. individuals at border crossings, a policy in place since January 22nd, 2022.

Community members gathered in San Clemente, California for a memorial cruise honoring the 13 members of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan on August 26th, 2021. The bombing at the airport gate in Kabul last year left over 180 dead, including several American military personnel - 11 Marines, 1 Army Staff Sergeant and 1 Navy Corpsman. Saturday’s event was attended by family members of one of the Marines. The cruise made its way to Norco, California, the hometown of fallen Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui. A gathering was held there at the newly-dedicated ‘Fallen 13 Memorial’, attended by other members of Kareem’s unit (2nd Battalion, 1st Marine), who along with Gold Star mother Shana Chappell laid roses at an evening ceremony. A new plaque honoring the 13 was also unveiled during the event.

In the aftermath of the August 23rd police shooting of Jacob Blake, the city of Kenosha saw days of widespread protests, riots and civil unrest. Several buildings, including local businesses, apartments, and government offices were burned to the ground. Midtown Kenosha saw rampant looting of businesses, several of which did not return after the unrest subsided. Face-offs with police outside the courthouse occurred nightly. Police largely stayed in the area immediately surrounding the court and police station. With limited emergency services available elsewhere in the city, armed citizens began gathering at various businesses in Kenosha. Tensions came to a head on the night of August 25th, when the Kyle Rittenhouse shooting occurred mere blocks away from lines of police. A heavy police crackdown on curfew and assembly occurred in the days that followed, with arrests and citations issued as the city began to clean up from the riots. Protests largely subsided, only briefly returning to the courthouse during the subsequent trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in November 2021. The Kenosha County DA announced on January 5th, 2021 that no charges would be filed against the officer who shot Blake in August 2020.