Minn-SIR supporter assaults woman while Ruthie Hendrycks rants about "respect" (updated)

See the update below the fold for more on Hendrycks' response.

My friend DJ Danielson honed his wits announcing regional pro-rasslin' matches in Minnesota, and his charming verbal style is clear in the video below.

Working in the ring, however, didn't quite prepare him for the spontaneous assaults he and I witnessed on the state house steps on Saturday.

While Ruthie Hendryks is the headliner in Danielson's video, ranting about "respect," his footage captures a Minn-SIR supporter assaulting a young woman and pushing a young man who asks him to stop.

At 3.16 minutes into the Youtube, viewers can see the young woman who was attacked assaulted, at this point warming her hands in her coat pockets. The man who assaulted her enters the video from the left at 4:02; at 4:15, they're in the frame together. At 4:16, he pokes her,  elbows her, then moves to push a young man who asked him to leave her alone and to rush the young videographer, who raises a hand in the air in protest.

This wasn't the only physical attack intimidation by Minn-SIR supporters on Saturday, as the reporter for Indymedia notes in the section Pushing journalists is A-ok! After you get done knocking someone off a bike, that is:

I was frankly shocked to see one of the older men at the rally push a protester off his bike.  While I was taking pictures, the man turned toward me.  "I saw you," I said.  "I saw you push him off his bike."  The guy responded by heading over and giving me a couple of good shoves, because if you're going to knock someone smaller and younger than you down, you sure don't want anyone seeing you do it.

Updated: November 17

I located footage of the assault on the bicyclist, which occurred before Robert Erickson spoke. The bicyclist enters the video at :48 and the man who knocks him off the bike (blue jeans, dark jacket and hat) can be seen approaching him in the center of the frame. Watch for yourself:

I don't know who shot this footage. It also happens to document my own proximity to the assault of the young man on the bike (At 1:04, I'm the short woman in jeans and a green fleece directly behind the man who knocked the bicyclist over)

end update]

The Indymedia reporter also caught this one:

That one guy from the Nazi rally!  He's always there, and he'll tell you that he's carrying weapons.  At the raucous Austin rally last month, local police identified him as Joseph Benjamin Thomas, 38, of Mendota Heights.  After trying to join the Nazi rally but being detained when a Mower County Deputy noticed he was wearing body armor and carrying a knife, he was questioned and stated he also had an expandable baton and a stun gun, according to the police report.  He was disarmed but allowed to pick up the weapons later.  At Saturday's rally at the Capitol, he appeared to pull some kind of weapon in the scuffle after another rally attendee knocked a protester off his bike. (Photo: Thomas at the State Capitol on Saturday (left) and at neo-Nazi rally in Austin, MN on October 17 (right).  More photos from Austin available upon request.)

The Post Bulletin's coverage of the Austin NSM rally in October mentions the incident, though not Thomas's name, though it is in the police report of the rally arrests (which I have read). The PB reported:

One anti-illegal immigration protester, a 38-year-old man from Mendota Heights, Minn., was wearing body armor and carrying a knife, expandable baton and stun gun at the rally, the report says. He also had a mouth guard and ear plugs.

Authorities removed the man from the scene to disarm and identify him but allowed him to return to the rally and pick up those items when he was leaving, according to the report.

Read Ruthie Hendrycks own take on the rally below the fold.

So far as Bluestem can tell, Hendrycks is simply unable to see the physical assaults perpetuated by Minn-SIR supporters. Apparently, it's enough to claim the other side is rude,  while her folks are the very model of civility.

In a post to an anti-immigration elist, Hendrycks warned "HOTHEADS":

3. HOTHEADS

 

BRING YOUR CAMERAS- lets make sure we get plenty of

pictures of any actions taken against our Peaceful Protest.

 

Our rally is a peaceful event - and quite frankly I do not believe that

any plans to counter protest will interfere with our event

HOWEVER WITH THAT SAID - if you are a hothead - do not attend.

 

I do not want - not one - of those answering MINNSIR's call

to in anyway start or antagonize anyone -

 if anyone counters it will be THEM who will be in trouble - NOT US.

Did Hendrycks chastize the men at the rally who attacked young protesters? Doesn't sound like it from the "Important email about the rally today" she put up on the same list:

+++++++++++++

RALLY NOV 14th

 

The rally was a success even though the weather was not cooperative

Approx. 70-75 individuals answered our call and attended - they are all

Patriots and I thank them   -  Special thanks - to the Speakers and MC

 

We were countered by approx thirty rude, ill informed individuals

Several attempts were made to invite them to participate - if they would not

disrupt the rally - of course this was answered with rude behavior etc. ....

One speaker today was Robert Erickson

I receive emails all the time from individuals interested and that do,

elect to join MINNSIR via emails - Robert of course seemed no different,

but through lies, false representation etc. = maturity of a twelve year old,

we found out differently.

Seeing we are always open to growing in our call for NO AMNESTY

Robert was graciously invited to speak - needless to say - his

message was not as promised and was rejected.

 

I have however figured out a way to stop this in the future

(see the email below)

 

Members - we must unite - we have a tough battle ahead.

As this battle proceeds forward - I am sure that there will be a trip

to Washington DC in the future - start saving

Tomorrow we return back to business

 

Ruthie

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

To: Robert Erickson

Robert - Or Whatever Your Name May Be

 

I hope you enjoyed your display of adolescents [sic] today at our rally,

pretending to share our points of views but uttering opposing views. . . .

You'll have to read the rest at the source. Hendrycks promises to take her raliies inside private spaces, where only her like-minded friends will be allowed in for their own special variety of Minnesota Nice

Update 2:37: Ruthie Hendrycks has started a Twitter account and tweeted "Our group was not duped! Jeffers and I knew he would make a fool of himself up there and we let him!"

Fascinatingly opposite claim from the email she sent her anti-immigration list pals after the rally. Friends have already emailed us hoping that she keeps tweeting. As one observant young reader observed: "OMG, Le'ts hope she keeps tweeting. That'll be a stream of consciousness disaster for her." [end update].

Comments

[Jym]

=v= File police reports and get some evidence to the District Attorney.